Category Archives: Others

  Yuu Kawasaki Hunting is popular in Europe and the use of gibier (game meats) is well established in the region. But even in European countries where hunting is deeply rooted as a tradition, damages caused by wildlife to agricultural products are becoming increasingly serious. In this series, we look at the situations and concerns in Europe related to hunting and game meats, and what Japan can learn from their experiences. Marnia Alexander, 57-year-old professional hunter in Bavaria in southern Germany, proudly states that hunters are the ones who suppress threats by wild animals and protect farmlands and forests from devastation. In the region where hunting is the most popular … Continue reading →

  Hiroko Obara Nearly 100 families who evacuated from Fukushima Prefecture after the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant accident live in Shirasagi Apartment, a municipally-owned, 12-story apartment building located in a quiet residential area in Nakano ward, Tokyo. Evacuees have been holding meetings once a week in a temporary meeting room in the building since September 2011. Two and a half years after the accident, more than 30 people still attend the weekly meeting called Kirasse (meaning “welcome”) Salon. In the salon, elderly people take care of children and listen to young mothers’ worries. “I feel relaxed coming here, looking at children’s smiling faces,” says Norio Takamatsu, 66, who had … Continue reading →

  Jyunichi Miura Urgently wanted: young nurses who can work night shift. Kashima Kosei Hospital, located within 30 km of the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant, is suffering from chronic shortage of medical staff, especially nurses. With a number of temporary housing complexes built nearby, the hospital, run by an agricultural cooperative in Fukushima, has to accept increasing number of outpatients and emergency patients. The hospital has recruited nurses through newspaper ads and public job placement offices, but has not received many applications. Nurses, who are disaster victims themselves, are caring patients while struggling with their own psychological stress. “We are making desperate efforts to run the hospital with a … Continue reading →

  Hiroki Sakaue Two and a half years after the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake, frustrations remain high for displaced victims struggling with worries over unclear future and isolation due to broken family ties and local community bonds. Local medical services which support the people’s health are also in a critical condition. The Japanese government insists on taking reconstruction measures with consideration for the people of the quake-hit areas, but it is questionable whether the measures really contribute to the top priority goal of rebuilding the people’s lives. 320 people who evacuated from Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, after the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant accident live in temporary housing … Continue reading →