2007年11月18日日曜日
Introduction of my individual report "Fast food contaminating American children's health"
Today, obesity is an enormous issue for Americans. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has doubled in the past two decades. Nearly 1/3 of adults are obese and 16% of children and adolescents are also overweight. The biggest reason of obesity is having too much calories from fast food and soda. To solve this problem radically, children's diet has to be improved. There are 2 reasons. First, in case of people who were highly-obese when their childhood, 40～85% of them become obesity again after they grow up. Second, human's taste is almost decided by what they eat untill the age of 14. For this reason, fast-food restaurants like Mcdonalds' especially want children to come as often as possible and continue eating their fast foods forever. On this research, I investigated how McDonalds', the biggest fast-food company in the world, get American children as customers and how it's been contaminated their health and lives.
2007年7月24日火曜日
Scandal-hit China food firms shut
2007/07/24
SUMARRY
A series of event about sub-standard Chinese products has happened in recent weeks. For example, contaminated wheat protain which were used to make pet foods and moreover, cough syrup contained chemical called TD-glycerin even killed people in Panama. These events are tarnishing the country's international reputation and now, China has come under increasing pressure from countries such as Japan and the US to improve the standard of its food and medicines.
By Michael Bristow, BBC News, Beijing
2007/07/20
How to Eat Sushi During a Fish Scare
2007/07/24
SUMARRY
Although the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) banned imports of certain farmed fish and shellfish from China last month, it admits it doesn't know how much of the type of Chinese fish it has now banned has already reached the market. The agency only inspects about 2% of all seafood at the border. As a result, consumers must be vigilant when shopping at the market and ordering at seafood restaurants now. According to the expert's advise, there are three points to assess the fish on the market. First, "educate yourself, and ask lots of questions." When we eat sushi and other seafoods, we should demand to know where the fish is from and be a pain in the low quality fish. Second, "Don't let your eyes be your only guide." Even if the color of the fish is fresh-like on the exterior, some foreign processors may have sprayed fish carbon dioxide to enhance its color. Third, "Be prepared to pay more to insure quality and safety." Industry insiders note that most of the recent scares have involved imported farmed fish that are low-priced, high-volume, mass-market products. So, sometimes, we need to pay a premium at the fish counter for certified, sustainable seafood programs and the healthy fish they produce.
From The Times, By Sonja Steptoe/ Los Angels
2007/07/19
Hollywood in need of Japanese
2007/07/24
Hollywood's growing interest in Japan, as seen by recent movies such as "Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Babel." However, Japanese characters are often played by Chinese and South Korean actors who resemble Japanese because of a shortage of Japanese actors and those of Japanese descent in Hollywood. But they cannot convey the true essence of Japan as they are not familiar with the culture, and sometimes, such substitutes can cause cultural misunderstandings. So, demands for Japanese actors to play Japanese roles in Hollywood movies are growing. In this trend, a company called Hollywood Comets was established in Los Angels, opened an office in Japan in 2005 to help give Japanese a better shot at passing auditions and to help aspiring them find success on the big screen in Hollywood.
By Seima Oki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
2007/06/29
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
SUMARRY
Hollywood's growing interest in Japan, as seen by recent movies such as "Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Babel." However, Japanese characters are often played by Chinese and South Korean actors who resemble Japanese because of a shortage of Japanese actors and those of Japanese descent in Hollywood. But they cannot convey the true essence of Japan as they are not familiar with the culture, and sometimes, such substitutes can cause cultural misunderstandings. So, demands for Japanese actors to play Japanese roles in Hollywood movies are growing. In this trend, a company called Hollywood Comets was established in Los Angels, opened an office in Japan in 2005 to help give Japanese a better shot at passing auditions and to help aspiring them find success on the big screen in Hollywood.
By Seima Oki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
2007/06/29
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
Kids learn kitchen fun the safe, healthy way
2007/7/17
SUMARRY
On July 1, two classes for teaching children how to cook healthy meal safely were held at the Yokohama Women's Assotiation for Communication and Networking in Totsuka ward, Yokohama. In the classes, children learned cooking withoiut using naked flames or kitchen knives, instead using microwave ovens and scissors to cut food. Those attend the class were six children aged between 4 and 6, most of whom were from families in which both parents work full time. So, the classes were helpful to children to be able to cook for themselves even if parents are too busy to cook.
The Yomiuri Shimbun. 2007/07/13
2007年6月27日水曜日
Creating calm in children's minds
07/06/27
SUMMARY
Bullying, pressure to compete with peers on studying, or other interpersonal issues, there are many things to make kids feel stressed. According to a 2006 survey by the Benesse Educational Research and Development Center, around 60% of elementary, highschool students felt "irritated". Meanwhile, there is now slow-but-stesdy momentum among educators and parents to let children wind down using such common tools as yoga and massage after school. Through yoga lessons, students can get their time just to relax and forget about 'all that' for a second, and focus on themselves and learn how to relax. In "kids massage" lessons, children learn how to give each other massages and this physical touch makes them realize how tender and affectionate they must be to the other person.
By TOMOKO OTAKE
07/06/19
2007年6月11日月曜日
Both Sides Say Project Is Pivotal Issue for Brazil
11 June, 2007
SUMARRY
In Rondonia, state of Brazil that has been deforested at the highest rate in Amazon, a proposal to build an $11 billion hydroelectric project has set off a controversy. Proponents for the project say that large public works projects includes the dams will create jobs and stimulates an economic growth that lead to a development of the country. On the other side, those who against the project concern about damage to the rain forest and excessive increase of migration that might come to look for jobs. Although they are in opposite possition, advocates on both side insist that their way is the best for the future of Brazil.
By LARRY ROHTER
Published: June 11, 2007
2007年6月5日火曜日
Buying Time
5 June, 2007
SUMMARY
For a 55-years-old Tokyo man, 34-year-old Filipino donated his kidney two years ago was a matter of life and death. Like that donor, most of donors are poverty-stricken and they sell their organs in order to earn money to survive or keep their family. Japan has the law stipulates that live donors can only give their organs to family members and there is a serious shortage of organs. So Japanese renal disease patients are increasingly seeking help overseas, mostly in Agian countries for all that they risk violating a Japanese law that bans them from purchasing organs, not just in Japan but anywhere abroad. Critics say the debate must be framed not just in terms of efforts to make more organs lawfully available for patients, but also in terms of the global fight against poverty.
BY HIROSHI ISHIZUKA AND AYA KIMURA THE ASAHI SHIMBUN 06/05/2007
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200706050101.html
2007年5月25日金曜日
Lack of nurses 'killing Africans'
07/5/25
South Africa is struggling to cope with the Aids pandemic. But because of a critical shortage of doctors and nurses, people are dying unnecessarily from HIV/Aids. The World Health Organization's minimum standard is 20 doctors for every 100,000 patients but this standard is quite far from accomplishment. For example, Lesotho has five, Malawi has two and Mozambique has 2.6, MSF says. Most donors fund new health clinics but don't pay wages for nurses, so it's hard for them to work. In some areas, although drugs are available, there is nobody to administer them. Also there are many empty clinics - empty because at the end of the day there is no available treatment there, so patients prefer to stay at home and die there. The solution is to improve working conditions and give nurses the power to prescribe drugs that until now has been the exclusive responsibility of doctors. Of course it takes risks but there seem to be no choice in this time.
SUMMARY
South Africa is struggling to cope with the Aids pandemic. But because of a critical shortage of doctors and nurses, people are dying unnecessarily from HIV/Aids. The World Health Organization's minimum standard is 20 doctors for every 100,000 patients but this standard is quite far from accomplishment. For example, Lesotho has five, Malawi has two and Mozambique has 2.6, MSF says. Most donors fund new health clinics but don't pay wages for nurses, so it's hard for them to work. In some areas, although drugs are available, there is nobody to administer them. Also there are many empty clinics - empty because at the end of the day there is no available treatment there, so patients prefer to stay at home and die there. The solution is to improve working conditions and give nurses the power to prescribe drugs that until now has been the exclusive responsibility of doctors. Of course it takes risks but there seem to be no choice in this time.
BY BBC NEWS 0f May 24, 2007
2007年5月19日土曜日
Act now on climate change
07/5/18
Climate change is a foreign policy issue. If we do nothing, the world's leading scientists are saying that we will face catastrophic change on an unprecedented scale and speed. For example, half-decreasing of the grain they do today in some African countries as soon as 2020, reducing of crops across Asia by one-third by the time our children are children are middle aged at the same time as the population has risen by a quarter. That is, our fundamental needs and life in peace are to be underminded. Climate change is a business issue too. An unstable climate means an unpredictable world. According to one of the biggest insurance companies in the world, by the end of the decade direct losses will be running at 150 billion dollars a year the impact on the global economy could be as much as 20 percent of global gross domestic product, a huge risk for business. But there is also a great opportunity, investing in new technology and reduceing their carbon emissions, will have a strong competitive advantage as the world tackles the climate issue. Now we need a partnership in which we change to a low-carbon global economy. If politicians and businessman work together, It would be able to solve the problem of climate change. Governments will need to set the frameworks--the right blend of regulations, incentives and investment. Business will have to respond by putting their money and dynamism into implementing change. Next week in Japan, the symposium designes to build that partnership between Britain and Japan. This has been organized jointly with the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), and it will be attended by some of Britain and Japan's biggest and most successful companies. They are already treating climate change as a strategic issue that affects their investment plans and business development.
SUMARRY
Climate change is a foreign policy issue. If we do nothing, the world's leading scientists are saying that we will face catastrophic change on an unprecedented scale and speed. For example, half-decreasing of the grain they do today in some African countries as soon as 2020, reducing of crops across Asia by one-third by the time our children are children are middle aged at the same time as the population has risen by a quarter. That is, our fundamental needs and life in peace are to be underminded. Climate change is a business issue too. An unstable climate means an unpredictable world. According to one of the biggest insurance companies in the world, by the end of the decade direct losses will be running at 150 billion dollars a year the impact on the global economy could be as much as 20 percent of global gross domestic product, a huge risk for business. But there is also a great opportunity, investing in new technology and reduceing their carbon emissions, will have a strong competitive advantage as the world tackles the climate issue. Now we need a partnership in which we change to a low-carbon global economy. If politicians and businessman work together, It would be able to solve the problem of climate change. Governments will need to set the frameworks--the right blend of regulations, incentives and investment. Business will have to respond by putting their money and dynamism into implementing change. Next week in Japan, the symposium designes to build that partnership between Britain and Japan. This has been organized jointly with the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), and it will be attended by some of Britain and Japan's biggest and most successful companies. They are already treating climate change as a strategic issue that affects their investment plans and business development.
BY MARGARET BECKETT
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
2007年5月17日木曜日
Inspectors Cite Big gain By Iran on Nuclear Fuel
07/5/15
SUMMARY
According to the agenciy's top officials, May 14, Inspectors for the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) have concluded that Iran appears to have solved most of its technological problems and is now beginning to enrich uranium on a larger scale than before.Until recently, the Iranians were having difficulty keepiong the delicate centrifuges spinning at the tremendous speeds necessary to make nuclear fuel, and often were running them empty, or not at all. But now, those road blocks appear to have been surmounted.IAEA will report the present condition of Iran's nuclear activities to the united Nations Seculity Council by 23th. After that, the United Nations Seculity Council will start considering wether impose twice sanctions on Iran or not.Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the energy angency says that keeping Iranians from getting the knowledge to enrich uranium has been overtaken and now, the focus should be to stop them from going to industrial scale production.
BY DAVID E. SANGER
2007年5月10日木曜日
Tropical cafe harnesses 'heat-island' effect
05/09/2007
For its sweltering heat, Tokyo is now said to be a concrete jungle. But one man took advantage of that and lead his business to success. Fukushima, 52, is the owner of Vifu, a cafe in Shinjuku ward hit upon the idea of harnessing the so-called heat-island effect which exacerbates the humid summer heat of Tokyo's central business district. Rather than fight the heat-island effect, he opted to tap into it to create a steamy environment that is perfect for growing tropical foliage like crawling vines, leafy tropical fruits and etcetra. In tokyo, there is a Tokyo metropolitan government ordinance that obliges newly constructed condominiums to create space for greenery on the premises. Such greenery tends to focus on fairly bland trees that are planted instead of fences and barriers. Fukushima says if he could plant tropical trees instead, that would be more entertaining for the residents.
SUMMARY
For its sweltering heat, Tokyo is now said to be a concrete jungle. But one man took advantage of that and lead his business to success. Fukushima, 52, is the owner of Vifu, a cafe in Shinjuku ward hit upon the idea of harnessing the so-called heat-island effect which exacerbates the humid summer heat of Tokyo's central business district. Rather than fight the heat-island effect, he opted to tap into it to create a steamy environment that is perfect for growing tropical foliage like crawling vines, leafy tropical fruits and etcetra. In tokyo, there is a Tokyo metropolitan government ordinance that obliges newly constructed condominiums to create space for greenery on the premises. Such greenery tends to focus on fairly bland trees that are planted instead of fences and barriers. Fukushima says if he could plant tropical trees instead, that would be more entertaining for the residents.
BY MAKOTO AKAMATSU, THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200705020384.html
2007年5月4日金曜日
Smoke-free taxis on rise in urban centers
05/03/2007
SUMMARY
Around the country, the drive is in line with moves to tighten smoking regulations following legal steps taken in 2003 to prevent passive smoking at public facilities. On Tuesday, Nagoya became the first of the country's 17 major cities to make all its taxis smoke-free. Nagano and Oita prefecture's taxi association go entirely nonsmoking in June. And also in Kanagawa prefecture's in July, where the prefectural association of taxi operators decided to adopt an anti-smoking policy to improve services in return for approval to raise fares in April. Still, the change is slow in this nation. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastracture and Transport date, the number of nonsmoking taxis represented had risen to just 3.08% in 2006, compared to less than 1% in 2002. Because most prefectures have hesitated to ban smoking in cabs like Tokyo. There are some reasons why they can't ban smoking. For example, taxi operators fears getting into trouble with passengers, lower sales, and so on. Japan remains far behind the rest of the world while major cities in advanced countries banned smoking in taxis some years ago.
OPINION
Since smoking has been prohibited on public transportation systems and many other public facilities in 2003, smokers comparetively have few opportunities to smoke outside their homes. So, if all the taxis in Japan would be banned, although I really hate smoke, I may feel a little sorry about them because some of the heavysmokers would probably suffer from stress. But at the same time, I believe less smoking will be good for them in the long run. And for taxi oparators like me who hate smoke, increasing of smoke-free taxis may be welcomed so much.
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