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Sensitizers are used to prepare photosensitive materials for ink-printing and thermal-recording media. Typical sensitizers contain an aromatic ring and exhibit aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity. They can accumulate in aquatic biota, leading to the disruption of ecosystems. Effluent from paper recycling plants has been identified as a source of contamination, and the presence of sensitizers in toilet paper may represent a new source of contamination in aquatic environments. To examine possible sources of contamination by sensitizers, this study investigated the levels of sensitizers in recycled toilet paper. We also studied the prevalence of sensitizers in rivers receiving effluents from sewage treatment plants in Japan, from 2020 to 2022. We detected eight sensitizers and related compounds in both toilet paper and river water samples; their total concentrations ranged from 0.78 to 34 µg/g (mean: 12 µg/g) in toilet paper and 58–1167 µg/L (median: 77 µg/L) in water. In the water samples, sensitizers were partitioned between liquid and suspended solid phases, and in suspended solids, sensitizers accounted for an average of 42% of the total. Correlation analysis showed a high correlation between sensitizer composition in the water from a river receiving sewage treatment plant effluents and toilet paper. Since these compounds were also detected in the river water analyzed in this study, toilet paper should be considered a novel source of sensitizers contamination in sewage treatment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional papermaking was a significant innovation that intrigued the information-sharing society in a wide range of the globe. The importance of finding the historical background hidden behind the historical traditional paper is critical to understanding societies in history. Advanced molecular biological research is applied to many forensic studies to identify the origin and criminal events. Yet, biological research refrained from the heritage science of traditional papers due to its damage to the samples. The current study explores the Pearson correlation between DNA in traditional paper and non-destructive measurement of characteristics of traditional paper. DNA concentration and purity were found to have a proportional relationship based on the CIEL*a*b* color system. The color of the traditional paper was assessed assessment shows green and yellow rather than red and blue. The DNA concentration demonstrated a positive linear correlation with the peaks of 992 cm−1, 1599 cm−1, and 1628 to 1638 cm−1 region, which were lignin-specific functional groups. The presence of lignin in traditional paper defines the colors green and yellow, which is related to the presence of a cell wall. The quantity of cell walls present is linked to DNA survival during the traditional papermaking process. Furthermore, the partial least square (PLS) regression model is established. The prediction model based on DNA, paper properties, and smoothing + the second derivative preprocessed attenuated total reflection-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectral data demonstrated valid purity predictions. The evaluation parameter of the cross-validated prediction model contains a low Root Mean Square Error of Cross-Validation (RMSECV) of 0.091 for DNA purity. The determination coefficient was close to 1. However, the further establishment of a validated DNA extraction methodology is required for the consistency of the prediction model for DNA concentration. The hierarchical clustering analysis demonstrated the agglomerative dendrogram on traditional paper samples. For the dendrogram, the Nasu paper mulberry (originating in northern Japan) was distinguished from another paper mulberry (originating in southwestern Japan) by clustering. By multivariate statistical analysis, the DNA presence and quality were predictable from the Japanese traditional papers. In addition, the clustering analysis provided the possible origin of paper mulberry materials for traditional papers. Based on the preliminary information, the need for DNA analysis on historical traditional paper can be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issue of marine pollution caused by microplastics, the Japanese government started charging for plastic shopping bags in July 2020 and the Plastic Resource Recycling Promotion Law (PRRPL) was passed in April 2022, thereby discouraging plastic use in Japan. However, even before these laws and regulations were established, companies and offices had begun starting to make voluntary efforts to reduce plastic use. Among these efforts, this study focused on the shift from plastic to paper materials and company efforts to lower plastic use. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the social perception of marine plastic pollution since 2018 on companies' adoption of paper materials for containers and packaging. The companies reviewed may have used up to 236,699 tons of paper materials instead of plastic since 2018. This reduction in plastic consumption is expected to decrease emissions by up to 625,424 tons of carbon dioxide (tCO2) annually, as well as external costs by up to 180.7 million yen. Hence, the shift from plastic to paper materials through firms' voluntary efforts since 2018 has helped to reduce plastic use and ameliorate the effects of global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice-paper plant, Tetrapanax papyrifer is a woody plant native to Taiwan and widely distributed in western Japan. Due to its low commercial value, little is known about its interactions with microorganisms. Here, we isolated Neofusicoccum parvum, a known causal agent of grape stem rot and mango stem-end rot, from leaf blight on T. papyrifer. Compared to mango isolate, N. parvum from rice-paper plant showed comparable virulence on grape stem and mango fruit. N. parvum strains exhibited pathogenicity on a variety of common weeds, which may act as disease reservoirs and boost N. parvum prevalence in commercially grown mango and grape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Citation analysis has been used to evaluate the impact of papers in medicine. There has been multitude of orthopaedic oncology-related papers in literature, to our knowledge no citation analysis of orthopaedic oncology papers has been performed. We identified the 50 most-cited orthopaedic oncology papers and evaluated these papers in terms of their time of publication, source journals, countries, institutions, authors, and main topics.Materials and Methods: Science citation index expanded was searched in April 2018 for citations of papers published in 77 selected journals since the beginning of the database. The 50 most-cited orthopaedic oncology papers were identified and evaluated.Results: The number of citations for the top 50 papers ranged from 168 to 1162 (mean 308). These papers were published between 1957 and 2010. 1990s was the most productive decade, with 19 papers of the list. All papers were written in English and they were published in a total of 6 journals. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery-Am published the largest number of papers with 31, followed by Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research with 8. The top 50 papers were created mainly from US and Japan, respectively, with 33 and 5.Conclusions: It is difficult to define the exact impact of a single paper in the literature. In doing citation analysis, it provides us perspective in the history and progress of orthopaedic oncology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the volume of scientific publications increases, the rate of retraction of published papers is also likely to increase. In the present study, we report the characteristics of retracted papers from clinical neurosurgery and allied clinical and basic science specialties. Methods: Retracted papers were identified using two separate search strategies on PubMed. Attributes of the retracted papers were collected from PubMed and the Retraction Watch database. The reasons for retraction were analyzed. The factors that correlated with time to retraction were identified. Detailed citation analysis for the retracted papers was performed. The retraction rates for neurosurgery journals were computed. Results: A total of 191 retractions were identified; 55% pertained to clinical neurosurgery. The most common reasons for retraction were plagiarism, duplication, and compromised peer review. The countries associated with the highest number of retractions were China, USA, and Japan. The full text of the retraction notice was not available for 11% of the papers. A median of 50% of all citations received by the papers occurred after retraction. The factors that correlated with a longer time to retraction included basic science category, the number of collaborating departments, and the H-index of the journal. The overall rate of retractions in neurosurgery journals was 0.037%. Conclusions: The retraction notice needs to be freely available on all search engines. Plagiarism checks and reference checks prior to publication of papers (to ensure no retracted papers have been cited) must be mandatory. Mandatory data deposition would help overcome issues with data and results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine trends in educational practice research, this article conducted a survey and analysis of factors affecting the review of research papers in the field of the educational technology in Japan. Two factors, namely, practical orientation and theoretical orientation, were extracted from 63 survey responses, and scores from members of a Japanese academic society were compared with the scores of its editorial board. Results show that the two factor scores were not correlated to each other, and they are independent measures for any evaluation or review of research articles. Also, there was no significant difference between society members and editorial board members, i.e., their preferences when reviewing research papers were identical. For the second part of this study, a group composed of anonymous members of an editorial board conducted a paper review of 12 published “practical papers” and 11 published “general papers.” Results indicated that there was no significant difference between the two categories. The final rating scores of these 23 papers were analyzed using a decision-tree rating model. Results also indicated that for publication, papers need to contribute to theoretical research, in addition to contributing to basic educational practice research in educational technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the prevalence of postdoctoral fellows in fast-moving and competitive scientific research. We use the results of a new and original large-scale survey of scientists in Japan and the United States for the analyses. Descriptive statistics show that, in both Japan and the United States: (1) the mean citation time lag was shorter by about 2 years in the highly cited papers (top 1 %) compared to other normal papers; and (2) the perceived degree of competitive threat was also higher for the projects producing the highly cited papers compared to those for normal papers. We also found that the likelihood of participation of postdoctoral fellows is significantly higher in research with shorter mean time lag and higher competitive threat (while that of students is not), controlling for author size, suggesting that postdoctoral fellows are especially prevalent in research efforts in fast-moving and competitive scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. DCM is common (estimated prevalence, 2% of adults) and significantly impacts quality of life. The AO Spine RECODE-DCM (Research Objectives and Common Data Elements in DCM) project has recently established the top research priorities for DCM. This article examines the extent to which existing research activity aligns with the established research priorities. Methods: A systematic review of MEDLINE and Embase for "Cervical" AND "Myelopathy" was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Full-text papers in English, exclusively studying DCM, published between January 1, 1995 and August 08, 2020 were considered eligible. Extracted data for each study included authors, journal, year of publication, location, sample size and study design. Each study was then analysed for alignment to the established research priorities. Results: In total, 2261 papers with a total of 1,323,979 patients were included. Japan published more papers (625) than any other country. Moreover, 2005 (89%) of 2261 papers were aligned to at least one research priority. The alignment of papers to the different research priorities was unequal, with 1060 papers on the most researched priority alone (#15, predictors of outcome after treatment), but only 64 total papers on the least-researched 10 priorities. The comparative growth of research in the different priorities was also unequal, with some priorities growing and others plateauing over the past 5 years. Discussion: Research activity in DCM continues to grow, and the focus of this research remains on surgery. The established research priorities therefore represent a new direction for the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bibliometric analysis was carried out for champion data comparisons among prestigious nuclear research institutes (PNRI) existed in Japan, the U. S., France, and Germany. The analysis was relied on database INIS (IAEA), ECD (DOE), WOS (Thomson), and SCOPUS (Elsevier). INIS is advanced, key ex-post evaluating tool for determining general research paper-based champion. Over the 30-year time span of research paper publication, the world champion among 11 PNRI is JAERI confirmed by INIS but ORNL confirmed by ECD, WOS, and SCOPUS, the latter two collected journal submitted research paper. Five years ago JAERI is the 3rd ranked institutes following ORNL and ANL. INIS database results revealed that CEA/Grenoble is the French domestic champion regarding research paper publication. Five years ago it was CEA/Saclay. Results from analytical tools used in bibliometric studies should be viewed with careful consideration to learn of any influencing factors because different characteristics exhibited by individual databases can sometimes generate conflicting bibliometric results. This was true among INIS, ECD, WOS, and SCOPUS when looking at trends especially between 5-year periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserving cultural artifacts while minimizing the energy consumption and costs associated with environmental control is crucial. This often requires predicting artifacts degradation caused by temperature and humidity. Here, mechanical damage can be predicted by comparing stress and damage criteria. Although the constitutive coefficients and damage criteria of various materials have been extensively studied, the mechanical properties of white clay remain unknown. This material is a crucial component of various artifacts including some important cultural artifacts and national treasures of Japan. Thus, this study aims to identify the strength and elastic properties of simulated white clay mimicking the substrate of the wall paintings Hiten at Kondo, the main hall at Horyu-ji Temple. Following existing literature, we created the simulated white clay by combining clay, paper fiber, and rice glue. We fabricated 36 distinct specimen patterns by varying the equilibrium humidity and material mixing ratios. We measured the tensile strength using splitting tensile tests and, compressive strength, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio using compressive tests. The tensile strength, compressive strength, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio ranged from 0.0785–1.17(MPa), 0.358–3.67(MPa), 0.0394–0.274 (GPa), and 0.10–0.44(-), respectively, with variations depending on the equilibrium humidity and ratio of material mixing. We also formulated the results as functions that depend on the equilibrium humidity and material mixing ratios. These findings can be used to predict stress and damage to targeted wall paintings and to inform the preservation and restoration of cultural artifacts containing white clay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the diffusion of battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology in Japan. The diffusion process in this study refers to both the innovation and adoption of BEV technology. While previous studies on BEV technological diffusion focus on policy selection, especially domestic policy, little is known about the connectedness between international and domestic factors in the BEV technological diffusion process. This paper aims to enrich the discussion of technology diffusion by expanding the argument that technology diffusion is not only a domestic problem but also an international relations problem using a case study of BEV technology diffusion in Japan. The findings indicate that two international factors push Japan to diffuse BEV technology: Japanese commitment to the global environmental regime and global competition in BEV manufacturing. However, the domestic institution factor hinders the BEV technology diffusion. The production structures of automobile industries and political economy relations between the automobile industry and the government further complicate the diffusion process of BEV technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of Japanese comics or better known as manga had reach worldwide. The production of the manga had also led to the creation of derivative products such as animated series and doujinshi. However, most readers outside Japan accessed these media in a translated format that is published independently from the original publisher. As such, many of the readers might not know the distribution system of the original media. In this paper, we discussed the distribution of manga and doujinshi in Japan. These include discussions regarding the general overview of the manga industry, the different types of published manga and doujinshi, as well as their distribution system. Lastly, this paper also discussed briefly what is the unique characteristic of the Japanese manga and doujinshi industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the biological indicator for stock identification of sandfish Arctoscopus japonicus in Japan. Role of the copepod Steindachner Acanthochondria priacanthi; Parasitic relationship between the sand fish and the crustacean; Percentage of infected hosts in a sample.

Focuses on the otolith microstructural analysis of reared larvae of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in Japan. Validation of the daily deposition of otolith increments; Problems with the rearing techniques used with eel larvae; Estimation of the early growth of artificially fertilized larvae in comparison with wild glass eels.

Focuses on the non-destructive determination of fat content in frozen and thawed mackerel by near infrared spectroscopy in Japan. Importance of fat content and freshness vis-a-vis fish quality; Analysis of the multiple linear regression based on second derivative spectra and fat content in frozen and thawed fish; Calibration equation with temperature compensation of fish samples.

The average bedtime and sleep duration of Japanese students aged 12–18 years was later and shorter, respectively, by 1 h compared with those of Italian students. Japanese students aged 12–15 years were predominantly more evening-typed than Italian students, while there were no significant differences in the morningness-eveningness (M-E) scores between students aged 16–18 years in the two countries. The bedtime of approximately 70% of Italian students was fixed by parents during their childhood, whereas the bedtime of only 40% of Japanese students was fixed by their parents. Current bedtime fixation made the students (both Japanese and Italian) aged 12–15 years more morning-typed, while it had no effects on the M-E scores of students 16–18 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the effect of increased seawater temperature on Ecklonia cava population in Tosa Bay, southern Japan. Ecophysiology; Seasonal average surface water temperature; Photosynthetic rate of bladelets of Ecklonia cava.

Studies the impact of the water currents, temperature and salinity along the coastal areas of northern Japan on the occurrence of Dinophysis species, the causative plankton of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. Collection of samples of the species and seawater along Kesennuma Bay; Determination and monitoring of inorganic concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus; Influences of salinity and the different environmental conditions to the appearance of the species.

Morningness-eveningness (M-E) preference and whether it was related to varying mental and physical conditions during the menstrual cycle of female students attending a Japanese junior high school, located in the suburban region in Nangoku city (33.3 N), Kochi prefecture, was studied. Those students who were beyond their first year after menarche were more evening-typed than those who were in their first year of menarche or those who had not yet begun their menstrual function. The M-E preference has no significant correlation with mood, periodical stability of the menstrual cycle or menstrual pain. The bedtime of those students who had an irregular menstrual cycle was significantly later than that of the students who had a stable cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) award for an outstanding academic paper that will be published in "Polymer Journal," which is sponsored by ZEON. The rules of the award include that the nominee must be less than 38 years of age upon submitting the paper for publication, the number of awards is limited to three annually, and the awardee must present a lecture at an SPSJ meeting.

The article provides information on several of the nominees for the Society of Polymer Science, Japan Award for the Outstanding Paper in Polymer Journal 2005. Papers nominated include "Molecular Dynamics Study of the Adhesion between End-grafted Polymer Films," by Hiroshi Morita and "Room-Temperature Polycondensation of Dicarboxylic Acids and Diols Catalyzed by Water-Stable Lewis Acids," by Akinori Takasu .

Japan's construction of fortifications throughout its history has been a subject of scholarly interest. Japan has been building fortifications for generations, from Muzuki and stone fortifications at home to Japanese fortifications on the Korean peninsula. While it is commonly believed that the need for castle building in Japan emerged after the Battle of Baekgang, this paper suggests that Japan's sense of external tensions predates this event. Specifically, this paper examines the construction of defensive fortifications at Itojo and Onojo during the Tang Dynasty and its implications for Japan's relations with East Asia. Through an analysis of historical records and archeological evidence, this paper argues that the construction of Onojo may have begun as early as around AD 650, challenging the prevailing view in academic circles, which holds that Onojo was built after the defeat of Baekgang. By examining the development of Japan's relations with East Asia during this period, this paper sheds light on the geopolitical significance of Japan's construction of defensive fortifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a scalable end-to-end tree boosting system called XGBoost has been applied for predicting the magnitude of an earthquake from the early part of earthquake waveform data. This model uses the features extracted from the early P wave phase of the records as an input. The model's effectiveness has been verified by using data on earthquakes occurring in the Eurasian plate of Japan Islands from 1996 to 2021. Feature engineering has given 29 new features identified from the early P wave phase of the record, which show a high correlation with the magnitude of an earthquake. The comparison of predicted and actual magnitude shows that a trained XGboost model, which uses a single input record for magnitude prediction, gives an average prediction error of 0.004 ± 0.57 for earthquakes in the test dataset. In contrast, the average prediction error of –1.1 ± 0.80 and –0.65 ± 0.69 has been obtained for the magnitude estimated from conventional τc and Pd methods using the same test dataset. It is further seen that the average predicted magnitude of a single earthquake of magnitude 4.5 and 6.1 (MJMA) obtained by using multiple nearfield records using XGBoost model is 4.58 ± 0.33 and 6.32 ± 0.29, which is close to the actual magnitude of the earthquake. The results presented in this paper clearly show that the structured data can be effectively used by complex machine learning or deep learning models to predict earthquake magnitude from single or multiple records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of digital technologies, we have witnessed a rapid growth of the sharing economy in recent years. In fashion industry, sharing economy concept is also widely applied. Instances can be found all over the world, like Rent the Runway, Golden Tote, Stitch Fix, and Le Tote in the US, Air Closet in Japan, Y Closet, Ms Paris, and Dora's Dream in China, etc. In this paper, motivated by the industrial practices of fashion sharing platforms, we first conduct a literature review on business operations of sharing platforms, including the sharing platform operations, digital and information technologies employed in sharing economy, business models, and sustainability and circularity in business operations. Afterwards, we analyze the challenges faced by fashion sharing platforms by exploring the two leading fashion sharing platforms in the US and in China, respectively. At last, we propose future research directions on fashion sharing platform operations and conclude the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Japanese government put forward the concept of Society 5.0 in January 2016, smart society has aroused extensive discussion in the international academic circle. However, this concept has been hardly discussed or cited in China. What is the root cause of this observation? Based on this question, this paper systematically reviews the existing literature on smart society both domestically and internationally. It provides a reverse critique of the misguided viewpoints supporting Society 5.0 from the perspectives of concept, motivation, elements, and goals. It also conducts a comprehensive analysis of the existing critical arguments against Society 5.0 in academia, considering theories, motivations, elements, and consequences, providing a forward critique. The paper further analyzes failed cases of smart society implementation, offering practical critique. By considering three perspectives, it identifies and categorizes the critical arguments against Society 5.0, forming three arrays of critique. Additionally, the paper addresses the fundamental reasons for the criticism of Society 5.0 in China and proposes an alternative vision: Civilization 5.0 as the ideal society of the future. Civilization 5.0 encompasses three transformative changes: eco-lization, intellectualization, and inclusiveness. In this new civilization, society needs to embrace ecological transformation, intellectualization, and multi-decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to show a possible path to address the introduction of intimate digital technologies through a phenomenological and postphenomenological perspective in relation to Japanese and Chinese contexts. Digital technologies are becoming intimate, and, in Japan and China, there are already many advanced digital technologies that provide digital companions for love relationships. Phenomenology has extensive research on how love relationships and intimacy shape the subjects. At the same time, postphenomenology provides a sound framework on how technologies shape the values and meanings we have. Thus, this paper introduces two digital technologies in Japan and China (Love Plus and XiaoIce chatbot), and it analyses according to the elements proposed by phenomenology and postphenomenology. In conclusion, this paper shows how digital companions like Love Plus and XiaoIce chatbot change who we are and the values and meanings we have according to the phenomenological and postphenomenological framework. These entities might not be human, but they shape who we are as human beings and the meanings and value we give to love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Scientific productivity is relevant to support clinical activity, improve therapeutic strategies, and understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of neurological disorders. We performed an updated bibliometric research to assess the country-specific relationship between neurological scientific production and socio-economic variables of dedicated resources. Methods: Neurological scientific productivity of 168 countries, from 1996 to 2019, was obtained using the SCImago online website. Data on gross domestic product (GDP), percentage of GDP spent in research and development, and number of researchers per million people were obtained using the World Bank Group website. Results: The USA was the first country in terms of documents produced (260,030), followed by Germany (69,841), Japan (65,200), the UK (60,914), and Italy (50,017). Except for Japan, all the most productive countries had an increase in scientific productivity in the last 12 years. In 2019, the USA still ranked first in the number of neurological papers published, followed by Germany, the UK, Italy, and Japan. Among the most productive countries, Canada and Japan did not increase the percentage of GDP spent in research over time. Except for Canada and Japan, all the most productive countries increased the number of researchers in the last years. Conclusions: Our analysis provided novel evidence of the adequacy of the scientific return on country-specific investment of local dedicated resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an exploratory examination of regional think tanks in Japan and outlines the contribution that such an examination can make both as a comparative Asian case for regional think tank research as well as in theorization of regional think tanks on the basis of various constructs of place priority. After briefly outlining the main trends and tensions in the study of think tanks in general and providing an overview of the literature on think tanks in Japan, the paper focuses specifically on the small-scale regional think tanks situated throughout Japan. The conclusions are twofold. First of all, the research builds on previous research in furthering the descriptive characteristics of Japanese regional think tanks. Second, the research outlines various place priority constructs through which regional think tanks can be described, compared, and analyzed. These are the specific dimensions of influence that place priority think tanks bring to their locale: local development through infrastructural advocacy, local development through objective information generation, and local development through knowledge and leadership cultivation. The analysis that leads to these conclusions speaks on a broader level to the contribution that such a focus on small-scale think tanks can make to research on think tanks at large. Case study of such regional think tanks offers insight into a major tension confronting contemporary think tank research: agenda advocacy versus the various other objectives that think tanks aim for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent geodetic measurements have detected recurrent slow slip events (SSEs) in many subduction zones. Numerical simulations suggest that the recurrence intervals and magnitudes of such SSEs decrease in the later stage of the interseismic period. Therefore, activities of SSEs and their temporal variations in recurrence intervals and magnitudes provide important clues for evaluating future large earthquakes. However, our knowledge of recurrent SSEs before the establishment of dense observation networks is limited. Here, we report a possible SSE in 1973 beneath the Kii peninsula along the Nankai subduction zone, southwest Japan, where magnitude 8 class earthquakes such as the 1944 Tonankai and 1946 Nankai earthquakes repeatedly occur. The possible SSE was detected by a horizontal pendulum tiltmeter installed in 1947 at the Kishu observatory. We recovered and converted the original tilt records from 1969 to 1974 drawn on bromide (light sensitive) papers to digital tilt records. In late-November 1973, there was a slow transient signal down to the northeast of about 1.4 μrad, lasting about 1–3 days. Assuming this crustal deformation was due to an SSE, we searched for a possible fault model by adopting the already-known SSE models occurring from 1996 to 2012 as template models. Among the 42 template fault models, five models were able to qualitatively explain the direction of the observed tilt change. The centroids of these fault models were located about 30–60 km to the west of the observatory. In the source region, two magnitude 5 class earthquakes occurred before the initiation of the transient signal, and thus may be related to the occurrence of the possible SSE. In contrast, the magnitude of the calculated tilt change was about 1–2 order smaller than that of the observed tilt change. This discrepancy could be partly explained by a slip amount larger than that in the template models, which suggests that the possible SSE in 1973 was larger than those detected by recent observations. Further investigation of historical data on crustal deformation will reveal more about the temporal change in the recurrence intervals and magnitudes of SSEs during earthquake cycles of large earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on papers presented at the 46th annual meeting in Miyazaki, Japan in October 2013 which were published in the "Japanese Journal of Ichthyology," Volume 60, Number 2. They include "First Japanese Record of Aphyonus gelatinosus (Ophidiiformes, Aphyonidae)," "Seasonal Distribution of Ryukyu-ayu Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis in the Katoku River, Amami-oshima Island, Southern Japan" and "Selection of Spawning Sites by Biwa Salmon in Lake Biwa Inlet Stream, Central Japan."

A number of indications, such as the number of Nobel Prize winners, show Japan to be a scientifically advanced country. However, standard bibliometric indicators place Japan as a scientifically developing country. The present study is based on the conjecture that Japan is an extreme case of a general pattern in highly industrialized countries. In these countries, scientific publications come from two types of studies: some pursue the advancement of science and produce highly cited publications, while others pursue incremental progress and their publications have a very low probability of being highly cited. Although these two categories of papers cannot be easily identified and separated, the scientific level of Japan can be tested by studying the extreme upper tail of the citation distribution of all scientific articles. In contrast to standard bibliometric indicators, which are calculated from the total number of papers or from sets of papers in which the two categories of papers are mixed, in the extreme upper tail, only papers that are addressed to the advance of science will be present. Based on the extreme upper tail, Japan belongs to the group of scientifically advanced countries and is significantly different from countries with a low scientific level. The number of Clarivate Citation laureates also supports our hypothesis that some citation-based metrics do not reveal the high scientific level of Japan. Our findings suggest that Japan is an extreme case of inaccuracy of some citation metrics; the same drawback might affect other countries, although to a lesser degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 2003 four contiguous prefectures in Greater Tokyo introduced Low Emission Zones (LEZs) from which diesel trucks and buses without particulate filters have been banned from entering. This paper analyzes the effects of this large-scale intervention on air quality, new vehicle registrations, and birthweights. We use a matching approach to construct a control group comparable to the designated areas in terms of propensity scores based on municipality characteristics during the pre-intervention period and apply a difference-in-differences design. We find evidence that the intervention led to reductions in hourly particulate matter concentrations and the incidence of low birthweights in the Greater Tokyo LEZ relative to the control group. We also find that the LEZs led to increases in registrations of new trucks and buses. This is not the case for passenger cars, which were exempt from the regulations. Our paper provides the first evidence of a significant link between LEZs and reduced incidence of low birthweights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphosphonates (BPs) have been widely, efficiently, and safely used for the treatment of osteoporosis, malignant hypercalcemia, bone metastasis of solid cancers, and multiple myeloma bone diseases. Accumulating recent reports describe that surgical dental treatments in patients with cancer or osteoporosis who have been receiving intravenous or oral BPs are associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw (bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, BRONJ). The accurate incidence, clinical backgrounds, and pathogenesis of BRONJ have been unclear and appropriate approaches for prevention and treatment have not been established to date. To address the current situation of BRONJ in Japan, the "Allied Task Force Committee of Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw," consisting of physicians specializing in bone biology, orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, obstetrics/gynecology, and medical oncology and dentists specializing in oral surgery, periodontology, dental radiology, and oral pathology, was organized. The committee attempted to propose a standard position paper for the treatment of BRONJ. The committee expects that this proposal will provide objective and correct scientific information on BRONJ and will serve as a reference for conducting dental procedures for patients receiving BPs and in designing prevention and treatment of BRONJ. However, because this position paper is not based on direct clinical evidence, it should be used as a reference, and a decision on treatment in each case should be made after an extensive discussion among physicians, dentists/oral surgeons, and the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new non-homothetic globally concave flexible cost function is introduced and applied to a panel of firms in the Japanese paper and pulp industry. This cost function is a mixture of the generalized McFadden form and the generalized Ozaki form due to Nakamura (1990). A generalized index of technical change is used in place of the standard quadratic form of time-trend. The estimated cost function satisfied global concavity, and the symmetry condition of the Slutsky matrix was not rejected. Homotheticity was strongly rejected. JEL Classification Numbers: C33, D24. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the issues facing expatriate instructors teaching English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) graduation seminars (commonly known as the "zemi" in Japan) in Japanese universities and aims to establish better conditions to build Communities of Practice. Since the term "graduation seminar" is widely used globally, and might lead to preconceptions from readers, zemi is the term that will be used in this paper as a common example of Japanese English. This class is one that typically involves aspects of academic mentoring, pastoral care and socialization that differentiate it from regular classes. Lacking any personal experience of the zemi, teachers educated overseas are likely to have different expectations of the system than their domestic colleagues and students, creating a significant challenge in how they design and implement programmes. To investigate these issues, 14 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with expatriate teachers of EMI zemis. Common themes described by informants included difficulties in creating a cohesive syllabus with limited support, challenges posed by thesis supervision, and mixed feelings towards mentoring and pastoral care. The data also revealed unique opportunities afforded to foreign instructors of these classes, which were unlikely to be available if they had not been entrusted with teaching a zemi. This paper seeks to fill a gap in the literature and provide insights into how foreign instructors experience the zemi. The knowledge gained can be employed to help develop Communities of Practice for such teachers. It is also hoped it will be of significance to those interested in comparative education, faculty asked to teach within educational systems of which they do not have personal experience, and anyone who works with Japanese learners, either in Japan or as international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This section presents information on the publication of the proceedings and papers published in "Japanese Journal of Ichthyology" and "Ichthyological Research."

A high-throughput alternative to ELISA to detect potato leafroll virus (PLRV), potato virus S (PVS), potato virus X (PVX), and potato virus Y (PVY), economically important viruses in Japan, has been needed for seed potato production. To develop an alternative using a multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR), we verified reported primers by two-step mRT-PCR and designed new primers for PVS and PVY based on the conserved region of genome sequences among three lineages of PVS or six strains of PVY. In addition, primers specific for potato and tobacco elongation factor 1 alpha were designed as an internal control for mRT-PCR. With these primers, one-step mRT-PCR detected all reference isolates of the four viruses. A published paper-based RNA preparation was modified for use in a single tube with an elution procedure to preserve RNA as evidence. As a rinse solution to wash away contaminants, 50% (v/v) isopropanol and 75% (v/v) ethanol resulted in a sensitivity for all viruses was tenfold higher than with the buffered detergent. In the mRT-PCR, the optimized paper-based RNA preparation gave tenfold higher sensitivity than the other two RNA preparation methods. Compared with ELISA, the new RNA preparation with the mRT-PCR was tenfold more sensitive for PVY and PLRV, 1,000-fold more for PVX, but the same for PVS. The new detection method simultaneously detected the four potato viruses from potato leaf by group test and is efficient and sensitive enough to detect the four potato viruses for seed potato certification, quarantine, breeding, and field surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, smart learning environments have become central to modern education and support students and instructors through tools based on prediction and recommendation models. These methods often use learning material metadata, such as the knowledge contained in an exercise which is usually labeled by domain experts and is costly and difficult to scale. It recognizes that automated labeling eases the workload on experts, as seen in previous studies using automatic classification algorithms for research papers and Japanese mathematical exercises. However, these studies didn't delve into fine-grained labeling. In addition to that, as the use of materials in the system becomes more widespread, paper materials are transformed into PDF formats, which can lead to incomplete extraction. However, there is less emphasis on labeling incomplete mathematical sentences to tackle this problem in the previous research. This study aims to achieve precise automated classification even from incomplete text inputs. To tackle these challenges, we propose a mathematical exercise labeling algorithm that can handle detailed labels, even for incomplete sentences, using word n-grams, compared to the state-of-the-art word embedding method. The results of the experiment show that mono-gram features with Random Forest models achieved the best performance with a macro F-measure of 92.50%, 61.28% for 24-class labeling and 297-class labeling tasks, respectively. The contribution of this research is showing that the proposed method based on traditional simple n-grams has the ability to find context-independent similarities in incomplete sentences and outperforms state-of-the-art word embedding methods in specific tasks like classifying short and incomplete texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Broussonetia have been essential in the development of papermaking technology. In Japan and Korea, a hybrid between B. monoica and B. papyrifera (= B. × kazinoki) known as kōzo and daknamu is still the major source of raw materials for making traditional paper washi and hanji, respectively. Despite their cultural and practical significance, however, the origin and taxonomy of kōzo and daknamu remain controversial. Additionally, the long-held generic concept of Broussonetia s.l., which included Sect. Allaeanthus and Sect. Broussonetia, was challenged as phylogenetic analyses showed Malaisia is sister to the latter section. To re-examine the taxonomic proposition that recognizes Allaeanthus, Broussonetia, and Malaisia (i.e., Broussonetia alliance), plastome and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) sequences of six species of the alliance were assembled. Characterized by the canonical quadripartite structure, genome alignments and contents of the six plastomes (160,121–162,594 bp) are highly conserved, except for the pseudogenization and/or loss of the rpl22 gene. Relationships of the Broussonetia alliance are identical between plastome and nrDNA trees, supporting the maintenance of Malaisia and the resurrection of Allaeanthus. The phylogenomic relationships also indicate that the monoecy in B. monoica is a derived state, possibly resulting from hybridization between the dioecious B. kaempferi (♀) and B. papyrifera (♂). Based on the hypervariable ndhF-rpl32 intergenic spacer selected by sliding window analysis, phylogeographic analysis indicates that B. monoica is the sole maternal parent of B. × kazinoki and that daknamu carries multiple haplotypes, while only one haplotype was detected in kōzo. Because hybridizations between B. monoica and B. papyrifera are unidirectional and have occurred rarely in nature, our data suggest that daknamu might have originated via deliberate hybrid breeding selected for making hanji in Korea. On the contrary, kōzo appears to have a single origin and the possibility of a Korean origin cannot be ruled out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the usefulness of an extended input–output table (EIOT) incorporating the heterogeneity of Japanese firms based on differences in ratios of imported intermediate goods to total output. Using an EIOT, the vertical specialization indicator of Japan was calculated, which corresponds to the foreign value added included in exports. In this process, differences in intermediate input ratios were measured examining different types of firms using firm-level microdata from the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structure and Activities. The results indicate that distinguishing between exporting and non-exporting firms is relevant for assembly industries such as electronics and automobiles, as widely discussed in the literature. In contrast, for primary materials industries, such as paper, chemical, and metal industries, other distinctions appear to be more relevant. For example, for the chemical industry, wherein firms tend to have large, integrated manufacturing plants, the differences in intermediate import ratios are largest when distinguishing large firms from small and medium firms. For paper and metal industries, which rely on foreign raw materials, the difference is largest when distinguishing between firms with and without foreign affiliates. By incorporating such heterogeneity, the vertical specification indicator increases by 70%; thus, the EIOT captures the foreign value added more comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses leading Japanese philosophical thought since the onset of Japan's modernity: namely, from the Meiji Restoration (1868) onwards. It argues that there are lessons of global value for AI ethics to be found from examining leading Japanese philosophers of modernity and ethics (Yukichi Fukuzawa, Nishida Kitaro, Nishi Amane, and Watsuji Tetsurō), each of whom engaged closely with Western philosophical traditions. Turning to these philosophers allows us to advance from what are broadly individualistically and Western-oriented ethical debates regarding emergent technologies that function in relation to AI, by introducing notions of community, wholeness, sincerity, and heart. With reference to AI that pertains to profile, judge, learn, and interact with human emotion (emotional AI), this paper contends that (a) Japan itself may internally make better use of historic indigenous ethical thought, especially as it applies to question of data and relationships with technology; but also (b) that externally Western and global ethical discussion regarding emerging technologies will find valuable insights from Japan. The paper concludes by distilling from Japanese philosophers of modernity four ethical suggestions, or spices, in relation to emerging technological contexts for Japan's national AI policies and international fora, such as standards development and global AI ethics policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is the extended version of a paper presented at the conference HMM2021, about the history of mechanical engineering. First, the initial cultural and industrial steps in the robotic field in Japan are introduced, to display the beginning of this interlaced path, before WW2; then, in the context of the aftermaths of the war, some famous anime heroes are presented as ancestors of the coming mecha anime series. The rising research in the field of robotics and more generally the developments of contemporary Japanese automation industry are then drawn, as a technological substrate for mecha conception. In particular, Masahiro Mori studies are taken into consideration to identify an actual robot design pattern to apply to the following comparative description and examination of the different mecha; finally, thanks to this analysis, the common breeding ground whence robotics and mecha (and their reciprocal influences) arise, is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to inefficient operations exacerbated by political intervention, Japanese National Railways (JNR) was dissolved in 1987 after piling up huge debts. It was divided into six regional companies. The three Mainland Companies inherited debts as well as physical assets, while the three Island Companies which are located in sparsely populated areas inherited no debts and were also given financial assets. The Island Companies were expected to lose money in rail operations but make up for the loss with financial income. However, Japan's low interest rates have jeopardized this seemingly ingenious scheme. This raises the question: who should take responsibility for unexpected interest changes? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the potential smolting ability of stream-dwelling Dolly Varden, Salvelinus malma. Collection of samples of the species; Classification of the species into phenotypes according to body coloration characteristics; Observation of the phenotypes on their smolting abilities.

The deregulation of zoning restrictions on retailers has been at the forefront of urban policy debates in recent years. Despite the increasing attention, however, we know surprisingly little about how the zoning regulations, which impose a constraint on the supply of land for a particular use, affect retailers in urban areas. This paper examines the effect of the zoning regulations introduced in 1968 in Japan on entry of convenience-store outlets. The act specifies two zoning restrictions for retail outlets. First, the law prohibits building commercial outlets in specified residential and industrial areas ('type 1 zoning'). Second, the law requires a developer to obtain permission from the local government to develop an outlet in specified areas ('type 2 zoning'). To account for the spatial dependence in demand, costs, and zoning regulation status across markets, this paper employs an equilibrium model of store-network choice by multistore firms. Using the cross-sectional data of entry and zoning in Okinawa in 2002, the paper finds hypothetically eliminating the type 1 and type 2 regulations would increase the total number of convenience-store outlets by 10-14 and 2-3 %, respectively. Although the magnitude of the increase in store counts and sales are similar across two national chains in Okinawa, the geographical markets in which each firm increases its outlets after the deregulation differ across these two chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to illustrate the crucial role of preserving, protecting and managing the environment by Indigenous Peoples in Japan and India. Traditional Knowledge has provided the ability to detect, understand and respond to environmental changes. However, modern science and applied technology often fall short of sustainable practices, acquired through 'centuries of local observation'. Our consumer-centric world has unravelled a sad situation that has contributed to an irretrievable climate crisis. Multilateral instruments, however, have come to the rescue. In this journey, Japan and India have shown the world some constructive initiatives with positive outcomes which could go a long way in achieving the UN-SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After World War II, Japan became a major recipient of foreign aid from the USA. As Japan's economy improved in the 1960s, it played a significant role as a global aid donor in world politics through its Official Development Assistance (ODA). This commitment continued into the 1990s when Japan, as one of the leading proponents of the concept of human security, began providing humanitarian aid to more countries across the globe. To better understand the notion of human security in international politics, this paper examines Japan's endorsement of the concept in its foreign policy strategy. This paper provides an overview and critical assessment of Japan's Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP) in the state of Sabah in East Malaysia from 2000 to 2021. This paper argues that different contexts and circumstances in the state of Sabah require further study, especially for understanding Japan's focus and concern in the area of basic human security needs, as enshrined in the GGP philosophy. Despite Japan's GGP objective as part of its foreign policy to promote human development, the execution of its foreign aid in Sabah does have issues. This paper concludes that the implementation of Japan's GGP necessitates greater inclusion, particularly for other vulnerable groups and underdeveloped areas in Sabah. Despite Japan's GGP objective as part of its foreign policy to promote human development, the execution of its foreign aid in Sabah does have issues. This paper concludes that the implementation of Japan's GGP necessitates greater inclusion, particularly for other vulnerable groups and underdeveloped areas in Sabah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2022, a first-year PhD student published his first peer-reviewed article in the journal Qualitative Research. Less than four months later, amid viral public outrage, that article, Karl Andersson's "I am not alone – we are all alone: Using masturbation as an ethnographic method in research on shota subculture in Japan," was removed from publication and formally retracted by the Journal Editors. This paper explores the controversy surrounding the so-called "masturbation article" and its relevance to the field of publishing studies. I begin with a general overview of the shota manga genre and its legal context and provide a factual short history of the affair. I then demonstrate what a good-faith positive peer review of Andersson's article may have included and critically assess Qualitative Research's Retraction Notice, alongside other published ethical complaints. I conclude by showing how both Andersson's article and the Japanese manga he studies have been censored for the same reasons, with troubling implications for freedom of speech in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectoral nerve blocks (Pecs I and Pecs II) are superficial thoracic wall blocks which block the pectoral and intercostal nerves. They can be used as analgesia/anesthesia for breast surgery and other procedures/surgeries involving the anterior chest wall (arteriovenous graft creation surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery and thoracotomy, etc.). The aim of this study is to evaluate publications in the scientific field of pectoral nerve blocks. ISI Web of Knowledge-Science was used for the analysis. All scientific works published included in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) from 1975 to January 27, 2019, were analyzed. A retrospective search was performed using key words "pectoral nerve block," "PECS I," "PECS II," "pecs block," "PECS block,""Pecs I," "Pecs II," "PECS 1," "PECS 2," and "modified pecs I block." We further analyzed these results by the "analyze" function of the software in terms of number of papers for each country, type of documentation, number of publications per year, and name of journals and authors. The number of citations to published works was also calculated by using the citation function of the same software. 72 papers were found related to pectoral nerve block. The biggest contribution was from India (24.28%), and followed by Japan (14.28%), USA (14.28%), Canada (7.14%), Egypt (7.14%), Italy (5.71%), and South Korea (5.71%). The total number of publications increased sharply in years from 2014 (n = 1) to 2018 (n = 28). We have detected that papers on the use of pecs block in breast cancer surgery, which is one of the most common surgical procedure in the world, are few in the literature. With this study, we hope to increase the awareness on this area. We believe that pecs block applications will become widespread with the increasing use of ultrasound in anesthesia and the increase in education in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]