Nori's blog----Novels, Poems, Essays, from Japan

*

As in every December, I went to listen Beethoven's
9th symphony this year too.--I went to two concerts
this year.

And, as in every end of a year, I thought over
various matters about my life while listening
the symphony. To me, it is the moment to reflect
on my life in the music.

(I have been coming to at least two concerts of
Beethoven's 9th symphony in every December in the
last 10 years)

There is a part of the symphony--certain part of the
4th movement--where I am reminded of the German POWs
who performed this symphony for the first in Japan.
Whenever the performance comes to the part, I think
about those German POWs. I wonder what emotion those
Germen POWs held in their mind at the part when they
played this music. I imagine they thought about their
defeated homeland and their families and friends in
Germany, playing the part in front of many Japanese
who listened this symphony for the first time in
Japanese history.--And now, I am listening the same
music in this country.

This year was the 90th anniversary of the first
performance of Beethoven's 9th symphony in Japan.

Adiu 2008.

Nori

*

*

Concerning this tradition in Japan, I would like you
to know certain history. It is the history about the
first artists who performed this symphony--Beethoven's
9th symphony--in Japan.

They were German POWs of the World War I, who were
captured by the Japanese in Tsintao which was the
German territory in Shantao peninsula in Northern
China.

This may need explanation--Japan, who participated in
the World War I as the British ally, declared war
against Germany in W.W.I and occupied the small
German territory in Northern China, Tsintao.
There were Gernmans, and they were made Japanese
POWs of W.W.I. THen, they were taken to Japanese
southwestern island Shikoku and spent their years in
a camp there. And many of those POWs came to the
camp in Japan with instruments.

The relation between the German POWs and the Japanese
was quite good. And the friendship was even widened to
the local Japanese living around their camp.

In such human relationship, when the World War I ended,
those German POWs held a concert for the Japanese who
ran the camp in Bantoh POW camp in Shikoku on June 1st
of 1918. It was in this concert Beethoven's 9th symphony
was first performed in Japan.

There were no female singers, of course. And there were
no female choir group too. So, it was not a perfect
performance of the 9th symphony.
However, they performed Beethoven's 9th symphony in the
remote camp of Japan in 1918.
It is amazing those Germans could organize an orchestra
of whatever level and could manage to perform Beethoven's
9th symphony without female singers there in 1918.

This amazing history had been forgotten for many years.
It was in the mid-1970s that this amazing history of the
first performance of the Beethoven's 9th symphony was
told by a TV documentary in Japan and then many books
appeared about this history.

I was one of those who learnt this amazing history by
the TV documentary in 1970s and was deeply moved by
the figure of a few very old German ex-POWs who were
still alive and played part of the 9th symphony in the
TV documentary in the mid-1970s.--The 9th symphony in
Japan's December had such amazing history.

(To be continued)

Nori

(I am sorry I could not find a good English web-site
about this rather unknown history of the first performance
of the Beethoven's 9th symphony in Japan.
But here is a web-site about this history in German.
If you can read German, please click and read this web-site.)
↓
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegsgefangenenlager_Band%C5%8D

*

*

Besides such reason Japanese orchestras found Beethoven's 9th
symphony as a remedy for their finance, that such many concerts
of Beethoven's 9th symphony are held in December every year
reflects that Japanese audience accepted Beethoven's 9th
symphony as a proper music for the end of year.

This must need explanation since Japanese sentiment for the
end of year is somehow diffirent with that of other nations.
The Japanese regard end of a year as something very serious.
If my understanding is correct, other nations, including the
neighbors of Japan as Koreans or the Chinese, or Europeans
and Americans do not have such sentiment as that the Japanese
have in the end of a year. The Japanese reflect the passing
one year quite seriously in the end of a year. They introspect
on what they did in the year or what happened in Japan and the
world in the end of a year. The Japanese think about life and
death in the final days of a year and think what they should
do in the coming next year in every December.

Such cultural tradition about the end of year must have been
another reason Beethoven's 9th symphony has become such a great
event in Japan's December. I love Japan for such culture.

(To be continued)

Nori

*

*

It may not be widely known out of Japan that Beethoven's
9th symphony is a seasonal event in Japan's December.

In December--the last month of the year--so many concerts
of Beethoven's 9th symphony are held in Japan.

In particular, in Tokyo, which is one of the major cities
of classical music in the world, Beethoven's 9th symphony
is performed somewhere almost every night. This is an annual
tradition. It is a very peculiar tradition in Japan.

The reason Beethoven's 9th symphony is performed so often
in Japan's December is not clearly known. It is said, however,
that this tradition is a postwar phenomenon and that this
tradition has its reason that Japanese orchestras began to
perform Beethoven's 9th symphony in December since they
needed money in December, when all Japanese need money to
prepare Nwe Years Days, after the war. There were not many
orchestras in Japan in late 1940s and 1950s. In the early
postwar era, there were not as many orchestras as there are
now. So, this tradition may have its origin in a particular
orchestra's tradition.

Anyway, it is December now.
So, I go to listen the 9th symphony too.

(To be continued)

Nori

*

*

A few days ago, I saw “Merry Christmas, Mr.Lawrence”
after many years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merry_Christmas,_Mr._Lawrence
(Click to know the story of this film, cast, and staffs)

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=YwkuS9FlB7M
(Click and listen the wondeful music of this
movie)

“Merry Christmas, Mr.Lawrence”is a movie directed
by OSHIMA Nagisa, the Japanese film director who is
generally regarded as leftist in Japan.

The movie, which was shown first in 1983, is a
story of the British, Australian, NewZealander,
and Dutch POWs and Japanese soldiers in Java during
the W.W.Ⅱ. ---The movie is based on a novel by a
South-African novelist Sir Van der Post.

I have seen this movie many times since 1983,
when the movie was first shown in the world,
but it was indeed after many years that I saw
this movie by DVD. Seeing this movie again by DVD,
I was reminded of a certain remark Oshima made in
a press conference when he was to start making
of this film. He remarked that he wants to make
a movie like Jean Renoir's masterpiece “The Grand
Illusion(La Grande Illusion)”.

“The Grand Illusion(La Grande Illusion)”(1937),
which Oshima mentioned in the press conference,
is a story of French POWs in a German camp during
the W.W.I, in which two French POWs, who escaped
from the German camp, converse about the war.---
One of the two wonders whether the war would be the
final war in history and the ather answers it's
his iluusion.---The title reflects this conversation
in the end of the film.

Reading this remark of Oshima in newspaper, I was
thrilled by the news Oshima is to direct this movie
about British and other POWs in a Japanese camp in
W.W.Ⅱ. And, when the film was shown in 1983, I was
not disappointed.---I was deeply moved by this film.

However, after then, I began to wonder whether this
movie was really a masterpiece as “The Grand Illusion”.
Maybe, I became critical. However, seeing the DVD of
this movie a few days ago, I have come to think I was
too crirical.---I do think this movie is a masterpiece
as “The Grand Illusion” now.

There is a scene which I love very much in the early
part of this film. It is the scene Captain Yonoi
(SAKAMOTO Ryuichi) who controls the camp talks with
the British POW Lawrence(Tom Conti) walking slowly
in front of a white chapel.

The conversation is as follow.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Yonoi :How wonderful it would have been, if it could
have been invited all of you to a gathering
under our cherry trees.
Lawrence:Yes. My fondest memory of Japan is the snow.
Trees covered with snow.
Yonoi :It was snowing on the day.
Lawrence:What day?
Yonoi on't you know? February 26rh, 1936.
Lawrence:Ah, yes. I was in Tokyo on the day.You too?
Yonoi :No. I had been sent off to Manchuria 3 months
before. I was not there for the uprising.
Lawrence:You regret that?
Yonoi :My comrades were executed. I was left to die
after them.
Laerence:I see. So, you were one of the shining officers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Since when I saw this film first, I have been
deeply impressed by this conversation. It is
so profound and touching. I have been wondering
which of the two scenario authors of this film,
OSHIMA Nagisa and Paul Matersberg, wrote this
conversation. I guess it was not Oshima. I imagine
this part was written by Meyersberg because such
deep affection to Japan is, in my experience,
rather of Westerners who love Japan than of the
Japanese. I was, anyway, deeply touched by this
scene of poetic conversation about cherry blossoms,
snow, and the tragic attempted coup of Febryary 26th,
1936, of Japan.

Also, I was impressed by the poignant irony of the
grim scene a Korean young man commits forced suicide
by Seppuku(Harakiri), which is an irony Japanese let
a Korean a “Japanese”. I was reminded that Oshima
was a film director who has been sympathetic to
Koreans and have been conscious about the relation
of the Japanese and Koreans.

However, above all, all may agree that it was
Takeshi(KITANO Takeshi), who appeared as sergent
HARA in this film, who contributed most to this
film. To me he looked as a “prewar Japanese”.
His face, words, manner, and so on, look to me
exactly an image of a Japanese of the prewar Japan.

So, when I saw the last scene of this film, in which
Hara(Takeshi), who will be executed on the next day,
repeats saying
“Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Mr.Lawrence!”
to Lawrence who visited him in the prison, as his
words of etarnal farewell, I felt his words of
“Merry Christmas”as if like a message from the
prewar Japanese to the postwar Japanese including
myself.

In this sense, Oshima, who is a leftist, might have
made a film whichi is not like “The Grand Illusion”
but a film like “Ash and Diamond” for the Japanese.

Dec 23rd, 2008

(On the 60th obit of the 7　Japanese “A-class war criminals”)

NISHIOKA Masanori

http://nishikamasanori.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/

*

This year, Japan was rejoiced by the news 4 Japanese
scientists were awarded Nobel prizes.--1 Nobel prize
in chemistry and 3 Nobel prizes in physics.

Among those 3 Nobel prizers was Prof.NAMBU
Yoichiro, professor of physics at the University of
Chicago, whose theory of spontaneous broken symmetry
is now regarded as a milestone in physics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoichiro_Nambu
(URL about prof.Nambu)

While other 2 Japanese physicists and chemist who
were awarded Nobel Prizes 2008 attended the award
ceremony at Stockholm with their families, Prof Nambu,
the eldest of these 4 Japanese Nobel Prizers 2008,
did not attend the ceremony in Stockholm due to
the health problem of his wife and received the
Nobel Prize in Chicago, where he lives with his wife.

Hearing the news about Prof.Nambu, who is now one of
the deans of the world's physics, I could not help
but be reminded of a certain person.

It was Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Oppenheimer
(URL about Oppenheimer)

His name--Robert Oppenheimer--is a name the Japanese
cannot forget since he, Oppenheimer, was, as everyone
knows, very the physicist who developed the two atomic
bombs released over the citizens of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.

The reason why I was reminded of him--Oppenheimer,
however, must be told here since most of you may be
unaware of the relation between Oppenheimer and
this years's Nobel Prizes.

The reason I must explain is that Oppenheimer was
very the man who wisely noticed the importance of the
theory of the spontaneous broken asymmetry by prof.Nambu
in his young days in Japan and invited prof.Nambu to
the United States with the advice of late Japanese
physicist prof.TOMONAGA Shin'ichiiro.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin-Itiro_Tomonaga
(URL about prof.Tomonaga)

When Nambu advocated his theory of spontaneous broken
symmetry in Japan, his idea did not attract other
physicists' attention both in Japan and the world.
However, to his geniousness, Oppenheimer noticed
the importance of this theory by a young Japanese
physicist and invited Nambu to the US to offer the
place of research.

So, we must remind ourselves that it was Oppenheimer
who understood the talent of the young Japanese
physicist and offered him chance to do researches in
the US which Nambu could hardly get in Japan and
that Oppenheimer was a hidden player behind this
year's Nobel Prize awarded to Nambu in a sense.

To remind ourselves what Oppenheimer's attitude
towards Japanese scientists after the war was,
I quote a very interesting memoir by a Japanese
scientist here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

After the war(after 1947), Oppenheimer became the director of the
Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and stayed in the position
even after his purge. During the years he was the director of the
institute, Oppenheimer invited Dr.YUKAWA Hideki as a visiting professor
in the summer of 1948, and then Dr.TOMONAGA Shin'ichiro also as a
visiting professor in the next year, to his institute. Also from 1950
to 1952, Oppenheimer invited Dr.Yano Kentaro, who was famous for his
“nonholonomic principle of relativity”. Oppenheimer invited more
other Japanese scientists to his institute to offer them opportunities
of research. As the result, there were 7 Japanese mathmaticians and
3 other Japanese physicists studying at the Institute for Advanced
Study at Princeton around 1955.
Dr.TANNAKA Tadarou (professor of mathmatics at TOHOKU University then,
professor at TOHOKU-GAKUIN University today(1977)) has visited
Oppenheimer, when he arrived the institute to do reseach, in the
director room to say his greeting of arrival.
When he said
“Dr.Oppenheimer. I am Dr.TANNAKA from Japan”to him,
Oppenheimer replied“Dr.Tannaka, this institute is occupied by an elite
troop of Japanese army.”with his smile. Oppenheimer was thus deeply
pro-Japanese to say such joke at the time and supported invitation of
Japanese scientists. In addition, Oppenheimer contributed a lot to
the awards of Nobel Prizes of physics to Drs.Yukawa and Tomonaga.
--Oppenheimer payed attention to Dr.Yukawa's theory of meson and
pointed out that the meson had been detected in the observetion of
the cloud chamber of Dr.C･･Anderson. He also supported Dr.Tomonaga's
paper to be published on the Physical Review to enable Dr.Tomonaga's
theory of so-called “renormalization”, which was a method to deal with
the difficulties of “quantum field theory”, to obtain international
attention by writing an introduction of Dr.Tomonaga. Wasn't Oppenheimer's
extraordinary favor to the Japanese scientists as such a reflection of
his regret of his role in the atomic bombing on Japan, about which he
blamed himself?

(from “Oppenheimer:Between Science and Demon”(Openheimer:Kagaku to
Demon no aida) by MURAYAMA Iwao, 1977, published by Taihei-shuppansha,
pp250-251, translated from Japanese by NISHIOKA Masanori)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I read this part of this book repeatedly.

Is this really Oppenheimer?--I wondered.
It was difficult for me to reconcile the image of him
who took the leadership of the totally unnecessary
atomic bombing on civiliands in the last phase of the
war with this memoir. I could even imagine the
face of him smiling to the newly arrived Japanese
mathmatician--Dr.Tannaka in the memoir above.

Scientist is a man. And a man is a paradox in
itself. A man has a demon and angel in itself.
Oppenheimer was not exceptional.
He did play a role of demon but he was a man of
warmth on the other hand as well.

While it remains a question what emotion
Oppenheimer had about the atomic bombing in
his mind after the war, there are many who
believe the reason Oppenheimer assisted many
Japanese scientists after the war, offering
them opportunities of research in the US
or supporting Japanese physicists to get
Nobel Prizes and so on, was at least partly
because he regretted his role in atomic bombing
on Japanese civilians.

I am one who shares this view.

Whatever the truth of this question is, I must
acknowledge Oppenheimer was a great scientist in
his foreseeing the importance of prof.Nambu's
new theory about half a century ago, which is in
contrast with the Nobel Prize Commission who needed
the same years--about half a century--to acknowledge
the importance of prof.Nambu's theory.

Nori

--------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20081212dy01.htm

Nobel winners enjoy ceremony
Tetsuro Yamada and Akemi Ari / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

STOCKHOLM--For the first time, three Japanese scientists participated in the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony.

At the ceremony, held Wednesday at Stockholm Concert Hall, 10 winners of the Nobel prize this year, including Makoto Kobayashi, 64, Toshihide Masukawa, 68, and Osamu Shimomura, 80, appeared from the center of the stage to a musical accompaniment from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

A speech acknowledging the Japanese winners was given in Japanese for the first time in the Nobel Prize's history. The three received their shining medals and looked very emotional.

After the awards ceremony, Kobayashi, Masukawa and Shimomura moved to Stockholm City Hall to participate in the Nobel Banquet. About 1,300 people, including the prizewinners and the Swedish royal family, attended the banquet.

The three Japanese entered the Blue Hall of the building with King Carl XVI Gustaf, and took seats at the center of the main table. The hall was decorated with red flowers.

Queen Silvia sat next to Kobayashi, while Shimomura sat in the seat across from him. The three enjoyed a lively conversation. Crown Princess Victoria sat in front of Masukawa, who shies away from speaking English, and the conversation between the two did appear to be somewhat low-key.

The menu of the banquet is kept strictly secret every year until the day of the event. Participants were ultimately delighted by exquisite dishes of sole with local shellfish, veal fillet, dessert and carefully selected wines. A short dramatic performance featuring excerpts from a comic opera by Mozart took place during the meal.

The climax of the banquet came with the speeches given by the laureates. Kobayashi, representing the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics, made his speech on a stage set up on a staircase landing.

Kobayashi, speaking in English, said: "It's a pity that Prof. Yoichiro Nambu was not to attend this ceremony. I'm greatly honored to share the Nobel prize with him. When I entered graduate school, he was already an eminent scholar. I remember studying his theory most intently."

He then spoke about the violation of symmetry in particle physics (CP violation) that is his specialist field.

"CP violation is an intriguing subject. A fundamental question is why the universe is made of matter. CP violation holds the keys to solving this problem. In spite of more than 40 years of effort in theoretical and experimental studies, however, matter dominance of the universe still remains an open question. I hope to continue pursuing this subject with my colleagues," Kobayashi said.

The three declined to participate in the ball held after the dinner at the Golden Hall on the second floor of the building.

The three appeared relaxed after the events of the day. "Well, I'm relieved," Kobayashi said.

"It's all over," Masukawa said.

Family members of the three laureates also participated in the events. Masukawa's wife, Akiko, 65, gazed at her husband's Nobel Prize medal and diploma with a proud look on her face. The medals and diplomas were displayed in the Blue Hall so that all those attending could see them.

"I feel like a festival has just come to an end," she said.

(Dec. 12, 2008)

*

Here is an English translation of a short novel
I wrote 6 years ago.

I will be delighted if you read this
novel in my poor English translation.

Thank you.

Nori

http://nishiokamasanori.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/
(original Japanese text)

---------------------------------------------------------------

　　　　　　　　 For Elise

　　　　　　　　　　１

There was a little treasure in our house.
It was a little old music box. Long ago,
the music box came from a far country.
Then it has been asleep in the depth of
our closet for many years secretly.
Nobody has opened it for many years.
Today, I decided to open the old music
box. It is because today is a special day.

　　　　　　　　　　２

“Now, I'll open it.”said I. My daughter nodded
slightly. I, then, winded the music box in front
of her and opened the box. Then, the melancholic
melody slowly began to play from the wooden box.
the melody played as if it has waked up from its
long sleep, quietly and melancholy. And the
smallest ballerina in the world, with the melancholic
melody, began to rotate slowly on her stage of the
music box in front of me and my daughter.
My daughter didn't say anything. And being silent,
she was gazing the little doll of the music box.
The little ballerina, which is as small as the tip
of my daughter's little finger, continued to rotate
with the sad music being played by the old music
box. This music box has waken up from its long sleep
now in front of me and my daughter. And it was the
first time the little ballerina made her debut in
front of my daughter. My daughter gazed the doll
as if to see magic.

　　　　　　　　　　３

Today was my daughter's birthday. She became
3 years old today. I have told my daughter
about this music box before. She, then, said
she wants to see the music box. So, I promised
her to show the music box on her birthday,
and brought the music box out from the closet
today, on her birthday, as I promiesd her.
I opened the music box. Then, the little doll
ballerina began to rotate slowly, and quietly,
in front of my daughter. The doll danced with
the melancholic music from the music box.
This ballerina was waiting for this moment
for a long time in this box. She was waiting
for the day she would dance in front of my
daughter silently. And now, she began to dance
again with this melancholic music here.
Then, the music stopped suddenly. And the little
ballerina also stopped her dance at once.
The music box has stopped as if time has stopped
there. Silence reigned the room I and my daughter
were sitting. My daughter did not say anything.
In the deep silence, I stared my daughter who
does not say anything. And I waited for her to
say something. But she didn't say anything.
Then, after the long silence, my daughter said
in a little voice without seeing me.
“Once more.”
I smiled and said “All right.” to her.
Then I took the music box in my hand and wound
the music box again. And then I put the music box
in front of my daughter. The music box began to
play the melody again and the little ballerina
began to dance again there.
My daughter continued watching the dance there.

　　　　　　　　　　４

The music box was my mother's belonging.
I remember my mother has shown me this
music box one day.
My mother put this music box on the table on
the day. Then she opened the music box in front
of me who saw it for the first time on the day,
without saying anything.
When she opened it, the melancholic melody
began to play quietly and the little ballerina
began to rotate slowly on this box--as it does
today. I have kept the memory of the far day in
my mind. I was absorbed by the little doll that
rotates slowly. My mother was watching the doll
that rotates slowly beside me, without a word.
it was a wonderful stream of time in which I felt
as if I had been dreaming.

The tiny doll of the size of a tip of my
little finger rotated quietly and slowly.
And when the melancholic melody stopped
suddenly, the doll stopped quietly with
the melody. After the doll stopped, there
remained only silence. And my mother kept
silence too.

My mother winded the music box again.
She made the music box play the melody once
more. Then the little ballerina started to
rotate with the melody slowly again in front
of me.

The melody was beautiful and sad. To me,
the melody seemed to be the saddest music
in this world. I felt the stream of time,
which passes with the melody, sad being a
little child then.

　　　　　　　　　　５

The melody played by the music box was so
beautiful. And the stream of time in which
the music box played the melody was also
so beautiful too. When I heard the melody
of this music box, I felt very sad because
I feared the beautiful moment I am listening
the melody would vanish soon. Being a child,
I learnt the sadness time would run while I
listened the melody. I felt and learnt it
in the melody. That was the memory of the day
I saw this music box for the first time.
It has passed more than 20 years since the day.
Today, when I opened this music box, I was
reminded of the sad emotion I felt on the far
day. And I wondered why I felt so sad on the
day. To me, the sad emotion I felt on the far
day seemed like an enigma. Why did I feel
such deep sadness in this melody on the day?
My daughter was gazing the music box while
I wondered why.

　　　　　　　　　６

“Otohsan(Daddy).”said my daughter.
She was watching me.
“What's this song?”asked my daughter.
She said‘song’to put this melody.
I wondered if I may call it a‘song’, but then
answered her.
“This is a piece named‘For Elise’.”
My daughter thought something.
“Who is Elise?”asked my daughter.
I wondered what to answer. I was unaware
of the answer.
“It is someone who lived long ago.”
“Someone who lived long ago?”　　
“Yes, very long ago.”
My daughter didn't say anything.
Then I winded the music box again.
She is right. Who is Elise? I have been
unaware who she is until today.
Was it the Elise who listened this melody
first in this world?

　　　　　　　　　　７

Suddenly, I was reminded I had asked the same
question to my mother.　
On the day my mother showed me this music box,
I had asked her this same question my daughter
has asked me now.　
I have forgotten I had asked this question to
my mother until today, when my daughter has
suddenly asked me the question. And now, I was
reminded of the conversation with my mother.
My mother answered to me “She lived in mom's
country.”
I was reminded of my mother's answer when my
daughter asked me the same question.
This small music box had been brought from
Germany to this far Japan by my mother.
She came to this country with this music box.
She must have recalled her far homeland
when she opened this music box.

I answered my daughter .
“It is someone from a far country.”
My daughter nodded without words.
“Let me listen again.”said she.
I smiled to her and winded the music box
once more again, as she asked. Then, the
music box began to play the melody again
and the little ballerina began to rotate
again in front of my daughter.
“Elise.”I murmured her name in my mind.
Was she the first person who listened this
melody in this world?....
It is an eternal secret. And, this old music box
plays the melody again today with the secret.

　　　　　　　　　　　　(End)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Written in Japanese and translated into
English by NISHIOKA Masanori

Original Japanese verion of this novel is here.
http://nishiokamasanori.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/

All rights of this novel“For Elise” belong to its author
NISHIOKA Masanori.

（This novel is entirely a fiction and it has
no relation with real person nor event.
It goes without saying the narator of
this novel--I--is not the author at all.)

*

*

Japan is rejoiced that 4 japanese scientists were awarded Nobel Prizes in
physics and chemistry.

I am one who shares the pleasure.

However, on the other hand, I think it a problem many of Japanese Nobel
prizers were those who did their researches in the US.

This fact reflects how the Japanese government has been unwilling to
support their own scientists while they have been spending various other things.

Japanese government must spend more money to assist Japanese scientists.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Please click)
　　　　　　↓
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20081208TDY02311.htm

3 Nobel winners speak in Stockholm
Tetsuro Yamada and Akemi Ari / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

From left, Osamu Shimomura, Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Masukawa attend a press conference held at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Sunday morning.STOCKHOLM--Three Japanese 2008 Nobel Prize-winners attended a joint press conference along with other winners at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Sunday.

Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Masukawa, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics, and Osamu Shimomura, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, are currently visiting Sweden to attend the award ceremony to be held Wednesday.

Yoichiro Nambu, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Kobayashi and Masukawa, will skip the ceremony partly due to the poor health of his wife.

With slightly tense expressions on their faces, the three Japanese winners appeared on the speaker's platform together.

Masukawa, 68, a professor at Kyoto Sangyo University, told reporters in English that he was going to deliver his comments in Japanese, and then talked through an interpreter about his personal belief that the inspiration provided by great scientists together with curiosity can motivate young people to work in the sciences.

Regarding the environment necessary for producing excellent research, Kobayashi, 64, a director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, pointed out the importance of trying a wide variety of research methods. Asked how he felt when finding jellyfish extracts he had dumped in a sink glowing, Shimomura, 80, professor emeritus at Boston University, gave a brief answer saying that he thought he had finally found success, evoking laughter from reporters.

(Dec. 8, 2008)

A few days ago, I read a touching article in an English newspaper in
Japan.

This captain is a true hero.

Please read

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Ex-U.K. naval officer thanks Japanese savior
The Yomiuri Shimbun

SAITAMA--An 89-year-old former British Royal Navy lieutenant whose life was saved in World War II when he was plucked from the Java Sea by the crew of an Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer on Sunday visited the grave of the commander of the ship that rescued him in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture.

Sir Samuel Falle's ship and a U.S. Navy vessel were sunk during the Battle of the Java Sea off Surabaya in the then Dutch East Indies in March 1942, leaving 422 British and American sailors, including Falle, who was drifting on oil-slick ocean waters.

The destroyer Ikazuchi, captained by Cmdr. Shunsaku Kudo, rescued the men and gave them warm food and clothes.

After returning home, Falle, who later became a diplomat, talked about his experience in Britain and tried to track down Kudo through acquaintances.

He visited Japan in 2003, but was unable to find Kudo, who had never told anyone of his act of kindness.

After hearing the story, Japanese writer Ryunosuke Megumi and others searched for information about Kudo, visiting his hometown of Takahata, Yamagata Prefecture, and other places.

Through these efforts, they learned that Kudo died in January 1979 at the age of 77. Falle decided to visit Japan when he heard of Kudo's death.

Falle said he gave silent thanks as he stood in front of Kudo's grave. After the visit, he said that if he had not been taken aboard the Ikazuchi, he would have died, and that he had never forgotten this act of kindness.

On Sunday, relatives of Kudo and Kiyosumi Tanikawa, 92, the former navigating officer of the Ikazuchi, joined Falle during his visit to Kudo's tomb in Kawaguchi.

"Mr. Kudo was a man of few words, but a fine person who made decisions with composure. I'm really delighted to hear that our act was appreciated," Tanikawa said.

(Dec. 9, 2008)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_destroyer_Ikazuchi
(Please click and read about captain Kudo.)

It's already 28 years.

I hear "Happy Christmas" again.