Last Monday, I had the pleasure of skiing amidst some of the finest snow conditions I have ever experienced here in Hyogo Prefecture. The previous week brought an extraordinary amount of snowfall to our region, creating a winter wonderland that is quite rare for this area. The Japan Meteorological Agency had warned of heavy snowfall not only along the Sea of Japan coast but also on the Pacific side, where snow is rare. This exceptional weather resulted in pristine powder on the slopes, making for an unforgettable skiing experience. It is not often that we see such conditions here, and I feel fortunate to have taken full advantage of them. While regions like Hokkaido experienced record-breaking snowfalls, with Obihiro City recording 124 cm (48.8 inches) of snow in 72 hours, our local snowfall, though less extreme, was still significant and contributed to the excellent skiing conditions. As I carved my way down the slopes, surrounded by the serene beauty of freshly fallen snow, I couldn...
Today (October 21, 2025) marks a historic day in Japanese politics. Sanae Takaichi, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has been elected as the first female prime minister by the National Diet. When we consider the history, women didn’t have the right to vote for election and could not be candidates for politician including local assembly or mayor. Before World War 2, there was a movement by Fusae Ichikawa to require the political participation rights for women. But Japan has to wait for it until 1945 by the new legislation which is strongly guided by the occupied armed force (general head quoters; GHQ). It took 80 years after that. If we observe the case of Britain, the first woman prime minister was Margaret Thacher seated in 1979. At that time, she was regarded as a lucky lady and had little power as a leader, especially with senior Members of Parliament. But she had a strong will to win the Falkland dispute at Alzentine and could achieve vict...
This chart displays the Japanese birth numbers and total fertility rate. It means the average number of babies born per woman. The baby was born nearly 3 million just after World War Ⅱ. But it decreased by around 1 million. Annual Live Births and Total Fertility Rate(TFR) Source)The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research (IPSS), This is the recent movement of the former chart. Despite government policy to give incentives such as supporting the education fee or fulfillment of nursery facilities, the total fertility rate hit a record low of 1.15 in 2024, and the number of newly born babies finally fell below 700 thousand. This number is around one-fourth of the baby boomer generation. Source) produced by kanagawa by using national statistics This represents the change in population by age and future projections. The elderly ratio is expected to increase to around 40%. When I returned from abroad, I felt the safety of Japan, but from around 2000, I began ...
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