Kiyoshi Kurokawa's blog （en）

Attending Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial School of Civilization

 →Japanese

During the Meiji period at the turning point for a new era in Japan, Fukuzawa Yukichi was perhaps one of the greatest visionary leaders. Especially, the spirit of “Personal independence without relying on the government” and his way of life were extraordinary considering the situation at the time, and I believe this was Fukuzawa Yukichi I admire at his best.

This spirit of Fukuzawa Yukichi is even today one of the universally accepted social values. What is remarkable about Fukuzawa Yukichi is that he practiced this ideology. In other words, it wasn’t just lip service. He started up institutions such as Keio University (human resource development), Kojunsha (business community interaction), Jiji Shinpo (media), Gakushiin (scientists). Furthermore, he wrote a lot of deep, insightful, visionary novels starting from “An Encouragement of Learning” (Gakumon-no-susume) and “An Outline of a Theory of Civilization” (Bunmei-Ron-no-Gairyaku). He was truly a superman.

Maybe for these reasons, I have several personal ties with Keio University. If you search “Keio University” or “Fukuzawa Yukichi” on my website, a number of postings on Fukuzawa Yukichi should come up.

In 2010 and 2011 during the autumn semester, I taught a class on the Keio’s Shonan Campus. In 2010, I also spoke about a topic on “Global agenda and Japan’s risk management.”

Several years ago, a leadership development program called Fukuzawa Bunmei Juku was launched. There are a lot of great lecturers lined up. I took part in it about four years ago, and also last year in the final session of the 8th period.

Together with the aim of making young people find their career on their own, I strongly agree with the idea of putting emphasis on the spirit of Fukuzawa Yukichi even today, or rather, because the time is now.

I got to meet a lot of spirited young people.

National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) -3: To Nihonmatsu

→Japanese

On 28^th, I was in Nihonmatsu, Fukushima.  Here, the people of Namie town and its local government office has evacuated.  Nihonmatsu is also a city where NAIIC held one of its town meetings.

I have a special reason to visit this town.  In our NAIIC report, I mentioned a book  “Japan at the Edge of Major Crisis” original title: 『日本の禍機』(in Japanese) by Kanichi Asakawa, a historian born in Nihonmatsu, Professor of Yale University, the first Japanese to become Professor of any university in US, in my message  (in Japanese, page 5, 6).  Several people responded to this, and one of them, Mr. Anzai, the Chairman of Seven Bank, who was also originally from Nihonmatsu, set up this lecture.

Mr. Uda, Chief Operation Officer (COO) at NAIIC, also happens to come from an old Samurai family in the Nihonmatsu han (“han” is a feudal domain which existed until the Meiji Restoration).  Nihonmatsu han had a very hard experience at the Boshin civil war.

Arriving early enough to Nihonmatsu, Mr. Anzai, Uda, Mori, the public relations officer at NAIIC, and myself went to the city office to pay respect to Mr. Miho, the mayor of Nihonmatsu, listened to his story and exchanged views.  We also went to the area where Mr. Anzai’s home used to be, the ruin of the Nihonmatsu castle, house where poet Chieko Takamura, was born, and the remain of the parents’ house of Kanichi Asakawa. 

The lecture of Mr. Uda and myself started from 7pm at the city hall (the same hall where we had one of the NAIIC town meetings). Quite a number of people arrived by buses (the city office arranged for many buses well in advance to avoid expected traffic jam).  The huge hall which accommodates 1,200 people was packed with people, many standing at sides or rear.  Those who were unable to get into the hall were guided to separate rooms to see the lecture on screen.  Mayor Miho and Chairman Anzai each gave a welcome speech for about 10 minutes, then Mr. Uda and myself delivered our lectures.  The audience was very attentive, we had lots of Q&As, the gathering went on for about 2 hours in quite an enthusiastic mood.

After the lectures, we had a short drive to Azumakan, at Dake hotspring, owned by Mr. Uda’s relative, for late dinner.  Talking about the lectures or the mysterious connections with Nihonmatsu each of us have, was fascinating.  It was truly a nice full day.

I was told on the next day that this lecture was uploaded on the web.  Please check here.

Isn’t it great that we live in such an “open” age?

 

National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) -2

→Japanese

Today, August 23rd, is approximately 6 weeks after submission of the report of the NAIIC, and I, as the “former chairman of the committee”, am continuing my journey to see the heads of the 12 towns and villages ruined by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.  The purpose of my visit is to express my sympathy, as well as to thank them for their cooperation to our investigation.  Everywhere I go, I see the heads and feel the people going through tremendous hardships and difficulties.

This trip is the last of my series of visits to Fukushima.  I left Tokyo with two of our staffs, joined Ms. Hachisuka, the (former) committee member, at Koriyama station, and climbed into her car which she drove for about an hour to Kawauchi village where we had an appointment with Mr. Endo, the head of the village.

Then, we drove for another 2 hours, headed to Aizu-wakamatsu, where the temporary office of Okuma town is placed.  We got off from the highway for lunch of Udon noodle, the local speciality, then continued our travel via the local road, viewing the beautiful Inawashiro lake to our left, and also the fields of Soba (buckwheat) flowers.

Before going to the Okuma town we had a brief stop at the temporary housings where Ms. Hachisuka also lives, and then went on to see Mr. Watanabe, the head.  It was a very, very, hot day but the temporary office had no air conditioners, so the staffs were working busily in the lukewarm rooms with only some breezes coming from the fans that were placed here and there.  We had a chance to take several snap shots together.

The quake and tsunami destroyed instantly the whole infrastructure and basis of the living of the people and there are yet no future prospects available whatsoever for them.  I witnessed the tremendous challenges the head and staffs of the towns and villages are facing which filled me with deep sympathy and sorrows which words cannot describe.

I honestly wish that our report will serve as any assistance in turning this circumstance to a better direction as fast as possible. 

Immediately after arriving at Tokyo station, I headed for a session on NAIIC on the web  (in Japanese) produced by the Asahi Weekly magazine.  I think we had a series of good and meaningful interactions and it lasted for about 70 minutes.  Please take a look and think about it.

Now that I have completed my series of visits to all heads of the 12 cities, towns, and villages of Fukushima hit by the 3.11 disaster, I somewhat feel relieved. 

The Committee of Parliament to Investigate the Accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants -2

→Japanese 

As I reported on the New Year’s day, the “Committee of Parliament to Investigate the Accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants” (click here for videos) was launched officially on December 8th last year.  On this day, the nine committee members and I received the official notice of appointment at the Parliament from the Presidents of both the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors. This ceremony was followed by a session where the ten committee members made comments and representatives from all political parties expressed their thoughts and expectations towards this committee.

This whole event was broadcasted live from the Parliament and now the audiovisual record of all the comments of the committee members as well as all the requests from the members of the congress are uploaded at the  "Shugiin TV"  for public viewing.  My comments as the chair of this committee appears at the start of this session, and also in the end after all representatives from every political party have presented their “requests” to our committee.  By the way, it happens that 70 years ago on this day, the 8th of December, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor to join in the World War II.   It was truly the beginning of the great tragedy of our nation.  I could not help touching upon this historical coincidence when I talked about the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident.

Mr. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, a representative of the Liberal Democratic Party who served as the Chief Cabinet Secretary, and one of the key persons to set up this committee, writes about this issue in his blog several times.  Mr. Shiozaki also wrote a record of the whole process of the making of this committee and published it as a book in mid December titled “ ‘The Committee of Parliament to Investigate the Accident of the Nuclear Power Plants’ - A Challenge From the Legislature (「国会原発事故調査委員会」立法府からの挑戦状)” (this book is published in Japanese only).

At any rate, we are now at the start of a very challenging year.

 

Steve Jobs Special Issues and Biography

→Japanese

 

Two weeks have passed since the death of Mr Steve Jobs.  The most established weekly magazines in the United States, Newsweek, Times, and Bloomberg, published special commemorative issues - a proof that Mr Jobs was truly an outstanding character in the latter half history of the 20th century.

Newsweek and Bloomberg dedicated the whole issue to Steve Jobs exclusively, eliminating any other articles or even advertisements.  This is extraordinary. Apparently these special commemorative issues are the expression of their deep respect to the great genius, the Artist who completely transformed the ways of our society.

Mr Walter Isaacson, a friend of Jobs as early as since he was at the Times, writes his memories in the special issue of the Times, but will also publish a biography of “Steve Jobs” on October 24th.  This is definitely a book that I would like to read as soon as I purchase it, and I think you will also want to have it in your book collection.

I can’t think of anyone else other than Steve Jobs who has so changed our daily life, from children to the grown ups, in the ways how we see, touch, enjoy.  Our hearts were filled with happiness, excitement, sense of being entertained.. by Steve.  He practically stole our hearts!  

By the way here is a good video which I recommend for you to quickly watch and reflect on Steve Jobs’s life and person as a whole. 

 

Steve Jobs Passed Away, Sadness Spreads, My Message to Young Generation

→Japanese

People all over the world love Apple.  Today, Steve Jobs - the very person who created Apple, put it back on its feet, and made the company the most valuable enterprise in the United States within a matter of several years - died.

“Death” is inevitable to everyone, as Jobs has stated in his historical speech at Stanford University.  However, his death was mourned by the whole world (Ref.1,2,3), and this is extraordinary.

 

Dear youths, the whole world is open to your future.  You do not have to worry about the common sense/standard of the Japanese society.  It is good to be different from others.

I assure each one of you young people that there are something worthy to devote yourself to.  It is in your inner self, although you may not have discovered it, or have not noticed it yet.  Or maybe you can not find it if you keep on living the daily life only in Japan, because, in the horizon of this globalizing world, there exist so many different societies.
 
Youth does not last forever nor is it repeatable.  I urge you to go out to the world.  For what?  For study or anything your instinct may tell you!  Just get out of your place, go out to different parts of the world for a couple of weeks, couple of months, several months, or even several years.  Breathe in the different air, live, and know many people in the world.  Then, you have a good chance of finding your path.  Someday in the future, you will see those “Many Dots” of direct experiences connect.  This, I can assure you.

Listen every now and then to that historically famous 14 minutes speech by Steve Jobs at Stanford University.  I do, too, occasionally.  It is truly a good speech.  Very moving. But now, we listen to it with tears.

Steve Jobs was a wonderful, extraordinary person.  He totally changed our life and the life of our children in a matter of less than a decade.

See how even a child of only two or three years old touch television, trying to move the images on the screen!

 

Jiro Asada’s Novel; The Last Years of the Qing Dynasty

→Japanese

I think Jiro Asada, a Japanese writer, has quite a lot of fans.  I am one of his fans, too, although I have not read all of his works.
 
The 4 series’ novel about China in the end of the Qing Dynasty “The Firmament of the Pleiades (Soukyuu no Subaru, 蒼穹の昴), “Imperial Consort Zhen’ s Well (Chinbi no Ido, 珍妃の井戸)”, “Chugen Rainbow (Chugen no Niji, 中原の虹)”, and “Manchurian Report (Manchurian Report,マンチュリアン・リポート)” (published last year) is one of my favorites.  What attracts me is the structure, analysis, and the viewpoint in each “Story (monogatari, ものがたり)”.  Once I start reading, the story is so fascinating that I am completely caught by it and can not stop until I get to the end.
 
Last year NHK broadcasted a drama series that was produced in collaboration with China titled “The Firmament of the Pleiades”.  It is a story about Empress Dowager, Chunru (春児, チュンル）, and the people close to them, in the last phase of the Qing Dynasty. Yuko Tanaka, a Japanese actress, played the part of Empress Dowager which I thought was done nicely.  After this novel came the “Imperial Consort Zhen’ s Well”.  I don’t think I have to remind you that the Imperial Consort Zhen also appeared in “The Firmament of the Pleiades”.

I had an opportunity to visit Beijing (北京) several years ago, and since I had a bit of spare time I decided to go to the Forbidden City (紫禁城).  The guide asked me where I wanted to see, so I requested him to take me to “The Chinbi’s Well (珍妃の井戸)” because I didn’t have enough time to see all.  So, as I recall, we went directly to the well and saw nothing else.  I do not regret this though, because each of Asada’s storis is so fascinating that you feel as if you were living it.  My impression of “The Chinbi’s Well”?  Well, I would rather hear your impression after you have seen it.

The 3rd book of this series is “The Chugen Rainbow”.  This is a story about Zhang Zuolin (Cyo Sakurinn, 張作霖); the son of a refugee, later the leader of the mounted bandit in Manchuria area (bazoku, 馬賊), Puyi (Xuantong Emperor, Fugi, 溥儀); the last emperor whom Zhang Zuolin is to encounter at Chugen, and Yuan Shikai (En Seigai, 袁世凱).  The Western nations and the Kwantung Army (Kanto-gun, 関東軍) are also involved in the complicated development of the story.  This piece is also quite exciting.

The last book; ‘Manchurian Report’ was published last fall.  It has a wonderful structure and excellent style of story telling of the process that leads to the death of Zhang Zualin by the bomb explosion which Kwantung Army planned and executed near the Fengtian (Hoten,　奉天) Station of the Manchuria Railroad.

I truly admire the extensive research ability and high quality of writing by the professional writers.

While there are a variety of books dealing with the history of Japan and its relations with the neighbors - Korean Peninsula, China, or Manchuria - from end of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th Century, I find books such as Asada’s that tell stories of individual characters quite amusing, not to mention that they are “non-fictions” which are intended for entertainment.  Besides the books by Asada, I would recommend a story of Hajime Satomi the “King of Opium” (by Shinichi Sano), or in this connection, “The Back Side History of Manchuria; What Masahiko Amakasu and Shinsuke Kishi Bore” (by Naoki Ohta), or many other stories concerning “Japan-Korea Relations”.  There are many things to be learned from these books regarding the life of people or how history is created, among others.

“Historic novels” has nothing to do with strange nationalisms; it is a good way to understand the movement of the world or nations from the multi-standpoint of those who lived in that time, the effects those movements had on the everyday life of the people.  Such perspective is especially important at times when you have to deal with the issues that arise in this rapidly globalizing world.

Below are some of the examples of the insights of Mr. Asada expressed as the words of the “story tellers” in this 4 series’ books;
“Neither (Japanese) government nor army is capable of thinking in a big scope because they are too nearsighted, merely focusing on immediate, short-term tiny profits….”
“Japanese thinking is too small scaled, just like the size of their homeland…”
“’Manchuria is the lifeline of Japan’, the words slipped out (at the Far East Meeting), but this comment was practically equivalent to saying ‘we are determined to invade our neighbors for the profit of our nation’….”

 “Wise men learn from history, fools learn from experience” is a well known saying.  Likewise I think “If people do not study the long history, they are just a bunch of idiots” is a good quote, although it is anonymous.

 

The Last Space Shuttle, My America

→Japanese

The last Space Shuttle ‘Endeavor’ was successfully launched.

This is the end of one era.  I suppose that you each have your own different memories related to the Shuttles.

People of my generation would recall Apollo 11.  It landed on the moon on July 20th, 1969.  We watched part of the landing live on television.  It was the scene where Neil Armstrong, a human being, departed from the mother ship on Eagle, landed on the moon and walked on its surface.  These pictures were sent all the way from the moon.  Then they traveled all the way back.  July 16th, Florida 13:32:00 lift off, 20th 20:17:39 Lunar landing.

Such an exciting moment is rarely experienced in life.  Nothing like this ever took place in history.  And everything was on TV.  As I watched this in Japan, I thought of the greatness of America, a nation not afraid to show live this event to the whole world, in spite of the possibility of failure, this great adventure which no other country dared to challenge.

Many people in the world must have watched TV with a sense of awe.  America was in the height of science, technologies and engineering.  Japan, on the other hand, was gradually developing its confidence, having held the Tokyo Olympic game 5 years before.

The exchange rate at that time was 1$=360yen, the limit of carrying out dollars overseas rose from $500 to $700.  The salary of fresh graduates from university typically started from around 30,000 yen/month.

Back then, the Fukushima Dai-ichi (dai-ichi means ‘the 1st’) nuclear power plant was being constructed.  Nuclear fuel was installed in this plant in 1970, one year after the Apollo’s success.

1969 is also 6 years after the assassination of JFK (Nov 1963), 5 years after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, bombing of the North Vietnam (Aug 1964), and the expansion of the Vietnam war.  Domestically were the assassinations of Martin Ruther King Jr and Robert Kennedy (Apr and June 1968, respectively), the American civil rights movements and riots were at its peak.
 
In July 1969, after having witnessed the Apollo11 lunar landing, I left for the United States to continue my study.  It was my first time to go abroad.  I departed from Haneda airport and arrived at Honolulu airport, Hawaii.  There, I was offered a glass of pineapple juice, and I will never forget how good it tasted.

Same day, July 24th, at 16：50：35, Apollo11 splashed down at the Hawaii off shore, succeeded in return to Earth.  It was truly a great adventure of mankind which was to be marked in the history.  What a timing for me, too.  It was only a coincidence and not planned, but this memory is unforgettable.

It was the start of my 15 years of life in America, but back then, I did not have the slightest idea that this was going to happen.

What comes to your mind when you reflect upon this news of the ‘last space shuttle’?

 

Are Japanese Youth Insular Minded? Are Adults Not, Then?

→Japanese

I notice various discussions going on in media recently about the insular mindset of Japanese youth.

Are they sure?  I said ‘no’ in my posting of January 12.  And I found an article (in Japanese) that shares my view.

As I wrote on January 12,  parents of our youth existed in a certain social climate.  The same can be said of the generation before.  Rarely did they go abroad at their own risk, by their own decision (especially men).

During the period of economic growth, 1960-90 and even afterwards, most of the international studies were based on support by or command from companies or government offices.  Typically, they came back to Japan in several years.  They went overseas not by their own will.  Therefore, it was basically a ‘business trip’, regardless of the length of their stay.

Mr. Kurihara of the Harvard Kennedy School expresses the same opinion and observation in his latest Cambridge Gazette (Since this edition of the Cambridge Gazette is rather long, it might be a good idea to start reading from the editor’s postscript. ) There are so many people who are concerned.

Adults don’t reflect on their own behavior even though they have tons of words to say about our youth.  I have an impression that youth instinctively doubt what adults say.  The same observation is expressed in the writings by Mr. Jiro Shirasu.

It is our responsibility as adults to encourage and support youth.

To Tunis: Japan-Arab Economic Conference

→Japanese

 

In the evening of December10th, I left Narita via Dubai to Tunis in order to attend the 2nd Japan-Arab Economic Conference held in Tunis on the 11th and 12th.  The arrival time at Tunis was shortly after noontime.

I felt a cool breeze as I left the airport, and I thought that Tunis was a nice place.  Since I had seen H.E. Hatano, former ambassador to UAE, in Dubai, I headed directly to the Carthage remains from the airport.  I enjoyed a nice tour with Mr. Ohashi, a long time expert of middle eastern business of Mitsui & Co. He kindly guided me around with a full explanation of the sites (he is quite informed about this area, and said that he recently stayed in Tunis for a week…)

Here, we encountered Mr. Ohata, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and delegates.

After stopping by at several sight seeing spots, we arrived at Sidi Bou Said (Ref.1), our final destination.  It was a lovely old town with white walls and beautiful blue windows and doors.  We had tea at the so called oldest coffee shop in the world, relaxing, as the time went slowly by.  Tunis is in the Mediterranean Culture zone, both geographically and historically.  Time pass slowly here.  I must admit that a workaholic lifestyle, competing only for higher GDPs, has some problems.  Here, you can feel the long history of culture.

The reception was held at Ramada Hotel, the venue of the conference and our accommodation.  About 300 people came for this conference from Japan.  The head of the Japanese delegation was Mr. Okuda of Toyota, and I had the honor of seeing and greeting many leaders of Japanese business.  Mr. Maehara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, also participated this year.  I had an impression that many Japanese from business sector came to the reception.

The conference hall was packed the next day.  It must have been hard to keep on schedule since there were many different sorts of people who gave speeches.  It started with the Japanese Ministers Maehara and Ohata, and then the Ministers of Arabian countries and many important people gave speeches.  I imagine that it was hard work for the secretariat. There were a number of collaborative projects were signed and announced, giving hope for a series of of good outcomes in coming years.

I tried to illustrate Japanese activities to the participants by briefly explaining relationships of Japan and Arabs. In these illustrations I included an introduction of the STS Forum, the panels on education, human resource development, science, and technology.  After having a slightly late lunch, I packed my things and headed for the airport.  I arrived at Doha via Dubai early in the morning of 12th.

Somehow, this travel was quite a busy one.