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Given the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Japan is at a major point to reevaluate its policies on the public communication of science. However, the government's self-reflection on their measures and policies of science communication has been inadequate. This study reviewed and analyzed descriptions of science-related public communication in the successive Japanese white papers on science and technology (S&T) from 1958 to 2015 with quantitative-qualitative hybrid approaches. Traditional enlightenment activities have always been given higher priority, even after the S&T Basic Plan aimed at two-way science communication, and have used such justifications as "the shying-away of young people from S&T," "accountability for research investment," and "problem-solving on issues related to S&T and society," without considering the reality of science communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how origami has been implemented, practised, and developed in the early childhood education of Japan over the past 140 years. Historically speaking, paper-folding has been part of Japanese symbolic art, craft culture, and religious ceremonial artefacts since paper and paper-folding techniques were first imported from China during the seventh century. By the eighteenth century, paper-folding provided a form of mass entertainment in Japanese society. During the 1870s, paper-folding was dramatically transformed into a pedagogical tool within Japanese kindergartens after Friedrich Froebel's (1782–1852) kindergarten system and its curriculum was transferred to Japan from the West. "Papier-Falten" (paper-folding) comprised an element of Froebel's Occupations – which was a series of handiwork activities – in his kindergarten curriculum, whereby various folding techniques and models were derived from European traditional paper-folding and introduced into a Japanese kindergarten curriculum that was associated with the concept of Froebel's kindergarten. Particularly seen in early childhood education in Japan, what we now call origami developed as a new form of paper-folding. This gradually emerged through the marriage of Western (German) and Eastern (Japanese) paper-folding cultures. The study highlights the benefits and uniqueness of cultural transmission and transformation when developing origami in early childhood education in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical properties of domestic and natural water samples from 34 stations in 11 cities in the eastern Shizuoka paper-industrial area in Japan were examined. The concentrations of major ions in distributed water and surface water (river, pond, and spring) were measured by ion chromatography. The concentrations of major ions, including , were higher in Fuji city and the surrounding areas. Trace metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Notably, 1,4-dioxane, an IARC classified human carcinogen, was detected. 1,4-Dioxane, trihalomethanes, and other volatile organic carbons were also quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 1,4-Dioxane concentrations ranged from 1.8 to 66.6 µg L−1. The concentrations of 1,4-dioxane and major ions, in particular Ca2+, Mg2+, , and , were higher in areas near paper mill release sites. The results of this study indicate that pulp and paper mill effluents may be the source of major pollutants that threaten the surface and domestic water supplies in eastern Shizuoka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the determinants of profitability expressed as return on capital among Japanese pulp and paper companies. Return on capital is measured as income before tax related to stockholders’ equity. Return on capital has been divided into profit margin and asset utilization rate. The hypothesis is that return on capital can be explained by mill size, productivity, product line, financial situation, and use of wood resources. The dataset consists of 13 larger Japanese pulp and paper companies listed in Pulp & Paper Statistics. Data on financial performance, production, and use of wood fibers were collected for the period 1991–2001. The average return on equity for the studied companies is 4.2%. Labor productivity has increased quite significantly, from about 600 to 1,000 kg/employee and year. An econometric analysis indicates that the best model fit is found when the asset utilization rate is used as the dependent variable. Significant variables are, among others, asset utilization rate lagged one time period (−), labor productivity (+), capital productivity (−), paper production as a share of total paper and board production (−), total value of assets on the books (−) and solidity (+). This may indicate that the total value of assets on the books is large in relation to the total production of paper, paperboard and pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the papers presented at the 18th Symposium of the International Association for Vehicle System Dynamics held in Kanagawa, Japan on August 24-30, 2003. Vehicle body movement analysis with kinematical properties of suspension; Influence of roll on vehicle dynamics; Energy flow method for the analysis of effects of structural flexibility on motorcycle stability; Development of higher capacity freight bogies with low track forces.

The article discusses the author's insights on the spread of Japanese paper and conservation techniques. The author reflects on the spread of knowledge of Japanese traditional mounting techniques and materials to the West and developments in conservation/preservation in Japan. The author provides a brief description of three projects, an adhesion method based on micro-dots of paste; a rolled storage method; and a method to reproduce a decorated paper from the eleventh century called ramonshi.

This introduction to the special issue celebrates the 30th anniversary of the publication of Sugimori et al. (Sugimori, Y., Kusunoki, K., Cho, F. and Uchikawa, S., Toyota production system and Kanban system: materialisation of just-in-time and respect-for-human system. Int. J. Prod. Res., 1977, 15(6), 553-564), the first extensive description of the Toyota Production System (TPS) to be published in English. After some initial discussion of the TPS, this article reviews three important issues regarding the context of the original paper: the West's growing interest in Japanese manufacturing; the preoccupation with information technology as the future of production; and, concerns with job design and motivation. The Sugimori paper is then analysed in these terms, focusing on the technical and human elements of the TPS. The article closes with an introduction to the other papers in the special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses heritage structures built of welded tuff masonry and timber frames. Such timber-masonry composite structures were built in Japan around the early 20th century. Timber frames are composed of studs and girts. The studs are coupled by penetrating girts via nuki joints. The studs are connected to masonry walls by means of L-shaped wrought iron pegs. In this paper, a warehouse is considered as the case study. Pull-out and shear tests were conducted to examine the performance of joints between a masonry wall and stud. A focus was given to the contribution of iron pegs. A microtremor test was performed on the case study. Based on these experimental activities, seismic analysis was carried out by numerical approach. Attention was paid to the discretisation of joint behaviour between masonry walls and timber studs. The paper introduces structurally a unique heritage building and discusses its seismic behaviour, focusing on joint behaviour derived from iron pegs and nuki joints. Findings are taken advantage of for the seismic analysis of historical composite structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the act of listening offered by active listening volunteers is a "gift" that requires reciprocity from elderly people. Active listening volunteers (keicho borantia) in Japan offer conversation and listening services for elderly people in local areas. Previous researchers investigate unsatisfying visits such as having boring conversations, and suggest the need for honing listening skills, or better pairing, and so on. This study, however, reveals that these solutions might not improve the situation, and, using participant observation and interviews, finds fundamental issues around reciprocity instead. First, and most importantly, volunteers do not realize that their listening functions as a "gift," which brings power dynamics, forcing elders either to stay as helpees, or to reciprocate. This paper, therefore, argues that even an act of listening in the field of volunteering can be perceived as a "non-free gift" by elderly people. Second, overemphasizing the importance of active listening obstructs reciprocity, letting volunteers cling to the role of listeners and helpers. In conclusion, this study suggests that volunteers need to understand three aspects: the importance of reciprocity; the fundamental power imbalance in caring activities; and the variety of reasons for elderly people to meet volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the impact of exchange rate changes on the trade balance of China and its major trading partners. In the past, many studies have been focussed on the linear effect of exchange rate change, but in this paper, a non-linear Autoregressive Distribution Lag (NARDL) model is proposed. Empirical results show that there are nonlinear and asymmetric effects on the trade balance of exchange rate. In particular, the effect of exchange rate appreciation on Sino-US trade balance is more significant than that of depreciation. A genuine devaluation of the domestic currency would improve the balance of the domestic trade. However, the opposite effect is found in the case of Sino-Japan and the Euro, and the depreciation of the currency will make the trade balance worse. These results provide a solid basis for understanding the relation of exchange rate variation and trade balance. In terms of economic reality, it is also a useful reference for adjusting exchange rate and commercial policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public transport providers often attempt to prevent passenger behaviour they consider dangerous, deviant, or otherwise undesirable through media technologies such as posters, signage, and overhead announcements. This paper explores the rationale of such mediated regulatory endeavours by taking up the example of 'manner improvement' poster campaigns by urban rail providers in Tokyo. Based on expert interviews with individuals involved in the production of poster campaigns and analysis of industry documents, it examines the motives and considerations guiding company interventions into passengers' everyday mobility practices. While previous scholarship has largely viewed such initiatives as a form of social control, this paper interprets manner improvement efforts as a customer service strategy. The paper examines posters' content, design, and limitations to argue that manner improvement efforts by urban transport providers are not primarily concerned with disciplining passengers but satisfying customer sensibilities. Enquiring into transit etiquette posters from the perspective of transport and design companies involved in creating them, this paper presents a novel contribution to the study of urban mobilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the impact of environmental regulation (ER) in host countries on Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) decision-making. It tests the pollution haven hypothesis using data on national (ER) standards and Japanese inward FDI in five dirty industries (iron and steel industry, nonferrous metals industry, chemicals industry, paper and pulp industry, nonmetallic products industry). The results do not support the pollution hypothesis. On the contrary, inward Japanese FDI appears to be attracted to countries which have committed themselves to a transparent and stable environment regulatory environment, suggesting that the quality of the regulatory framework in terms of its certainty and transparency has a greater influence on foreign investors' choice of location than the level of environmental regulatory measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights a technique developed by scientists at the Yokohama City Sewage Bureau in Japan in June 1991, which turns sewage into paper. The technique entails heating the sewage to 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit and spinning it. Thus far, the weak, speckled paper has been used to make business cards for the bureau's officials. But, because the average Yokohaman produces enough sewage to make four sheets of paper each day, city officials are examining other potential uses for this unlikely resource.

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In April 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended reducing the occupational equivalent dose limit for the lens. Such a new occupational lens dose limit has thus far been implemented in many countries, and there are extensive discussions toward its regulatory implementation in other countries. In Japan, discussions in the Japan Health Physics Society (JHPS) began in April 2013 and in Radiation Council in July 2017, and the new occupational lens dose limit was implemented into regulation in April 2021. To share our experience, we have published a series of papers summarizing situations in Japan: the first paper based on information available by early 2017, and the second paper by early 2019. This paper (our third paper of this series) aims to review updated information available by mid-2022, such as regarding regulatory implementation of the new occupational lens dose limit, recent discussions by relevant ministries based on the opinion from the council, establishment process of safety and health management systems, the JHPS guidelines on lens dose monitoring and radiation safety, voluntary countermeasures of the licensees, development of lens dose calibration method, and recent studies on exposure of the lens in nuclear workers and biological effect on the lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper begins by providing a history of Japanese law pertaining to special education and its change towards a more inclusive education with the ratification of United Nations Conventions of the Rights of People with Disabilities. With the changes in laws, more children with constant medical care needs in Japan have the opportunity to attend mainstream schools. The recent court case, Kosuge v. Kanagawa prefecture and Kawasaki city, ruled against a child with medical care needs to attend mainstream school and made the judgment that a special needs school (tokubetsushien gakkō) is the appropriate placement for the child based on the child's disability type and degree of disability rather than needs and regardless of the wishes of the child's parents. This paper explores the case judgement and discusses where Japanese special education laws fall short similar to that of the US system based on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. We suggest the need to keep inclusion as the basic human rights aligned with the Article 24 of the UNCRPD rather than focusing on the continuum of education principle in IDEA, and operationalise the law into practice to make integration of children with disabilities, including children with constant medical care needs, into mainstream education schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents papers related to Japanese forestry that appear in the 2005 issue of the "Journal of Forest Research." The paper "Evaluation of shelter effect of the windbreak using the critical wind speed," by Hajime Ozawa and Tomoki Sakamoto evaluated the shelter effect of an inland windbreak for protecting outdoor activities at a social welfare institution in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The paper "Seasonal changes and spatial distribution patterns of the adult podocarp bark borer, Hirticlytus comosus, captured with sticky traps," by Yoshikazu Sato suggests that the small-scale dispersion of adults from their emergence trees causes aggregative distribution.

Discusses the paper by Anil K. Kashyap on the financial crisis of Japan as of December 2002. Role of macroeconomics in the financial crisis; Problems in the banking sector; Analysis of the cost of recapitalization.

Decomposition of organic matters in volcanic soils (ando soils) is generally slowed by sorption onto short-range-order minerals, while decomposition of non-charged substrates such as cellulose and glucose is hypothesized to be promoted by high microbial biomass and nitrogen availability, irrespective of short-range-order minerals. To analyze factors regulating decomposition activities of cellulose and glucose, we measured the decomposition rates of cellulose filter papers and the mineralization rates of 14C-labeled glucose in five volcanic soils in Japan. Glucose mineralization activities increased with increasing microbial biomass C and N, while cellulose decomposition activities (standardized with cumulative temperature) were not related to microbial biomass C or N. Cellulose decomposition activities increased with increasing ratio of soil available N relative to microbial biomass N (microbial N availability), while they decreased with decreasing soil pH and with increasing fungal activities. Soils with relatively high soil pH and microbial N availability exhibit the relatively high potentials of cellulose decomposition. Because cellulose decomposition, rather than glucose mineralization, is a rate-limiting step, soil pH and microbial N availability, rather than microbial biomass, could primarily regulate decomposition rates of cellulose and glucose in volcanic soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union-Japan political and international development dialogue is resurging through the Strategic Partnership Agreement recently agreed between the two actors. The current paper argues that in order for this agreement to deliver on its promises, the EU and Japan need to build on their similarities, but more importantly on their differences and lessons learnt through their distinct international experiences. While common values and norms have helped them to agree on such document, building on their differences will help both actors to make this bilateral dialogue more productive and strategic. Through the theoretical lenses of policy entrepreneurship used to consolidate knowledge for development on horizontal cooperation, the paper questions how sharing their experiences as international donors can be of strategic relevance for both the EU and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents abstract of papers presented at the Japanese-European Kobe Symposium on Thrombosis held in Kobe Gakuin University, Japan. 'Modelling Human Thrombosis: From Animal Experiments to Global in Vitro Tests,' by I.B. Kovacs; Photothrombotic Occlusion Model of the Middle Cerebral Artery,' by K. Umemura and Y. Suzuki.

This paper asks if there is deficiency of investment in people in Japan. To answer this question we examine comparative and historical data, as well as the reasons behind the data. We then look at public policies of recent administrations, particularly the Kishida administration, since one of its core policy agendas is 'investment in people'. We find that there is a deficiency of investment in people, by governments, companies and people themselves, for a variety of reasons, and that the Kishida administration has to date only proposed temporary measures without long term solutions. The paper concludes with policy implications and some proposals for additional action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are increasingly surrounded by talk of digitalization. Yet, we remain unsure about what impact this digitalization will have upon socio-economic institutions, how the introduction of this digitalization will be contested, the likely role of the state in managing the adoption of digital technology, and the likely consequences for the broader political economy if and when it is introduced. This article examines the process of digitalization as it has unfolded in the service sector in Japan. Based on qualitative interviews with managers in the hospitality industry and union officials, the paper depicts a process that contrasts starkly with the more optimistic view adopted by some commentators, according to which digitalization has the potential to improve working conditions and contribute to a more stable form of growth. Instead, the paper draws on Regulation Theory to argue that the introduction of digitalization is part of a wider process of neoliberalization. As such, digitalization has contributed to deskilling, the fragmentation of work tasks, a digital divide, the intensification of work, and higher levels of workplace surveillance. This represents a further dismantling of the social compromise that underpinned Japan's earlier period of economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to expectations that the greater visibility of aid increases the donor's prestige, this paper examines why certain donor countries may seek to render their aid programs invisible. As the case of Japan's early Triangular Development Cooperation (TDC) in Southeast Asia demonstrates, donors at times seek to conceal their presence to better secure their national interests. By approaching this (in-)visibility puzzle through the focus on its politics, this study highlights the complexity of donors' motivations in selectively activating (in-)visibility in TDC. Via a historicised account of Japan's post-war aid/economic cooperation relationship with Southeast Asia, the paper finds how the triangular mechanism allowed Japan and Thailand as an intermediary to selectively render their presence in-/visible to shun hostile sentiments against them in order to pursue their respective diplomatic goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the trends and challenges of Taiwanese studies in Japan, focusing on political history. The first section reviews Taiwanese studies in Japan in recent years, with a focus on political research. The second section discusses the issues to be worked on for this discipline's future, especially pertaining to the discussion on "external" and "internal" legitimacy for the postwar Republic of China (ROC) government in Taiwan. The third section examines ways to comprehend the changes in the ROC's status in Taiwanese politics and society after the political transformation began in the 1970s. Taiwanese studies in Japan have long emphasized revealing the characteristics of Taiwanese society and history. Although such an attitude is still quite important, this paper highlights that knowing how to value the "Chineseness" of the ROC government in Taiwan is also an important subject. Further examination of the link between international and internal politics in Taiwan will be one of the most important subjects for future Taiwanese studies in Japan on politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-band radar observations with a transmitting frequency of 9.4 GHz were conducted for over 10 h at the mouth of Tenryu River, Japan, to estimate surface velocity distributions during floods in 2010 and 2020 and analyse changes in the flow field caused by dredging in 2014. X-band radar is an imaging radar that can collect backscatter of floating objects flowing downstream with the flood flow every 2 s. The observation area extends approximately 1000 m × 1000 m. Particle image velocimetry is applied to the image sequences to guess the surface flow pattern. Flow direction in the main river channel changed smoothly, while surface flow speeds ranged from 1 to 3 m s–1 depending on the discharge. Water levels were computed using the estimated surface flow velocities, river cross-section from survey data, and observed discharge for indirect validation: it agreed within an error of 0.3 m with the observed water level. This paper highlights radar's potential for estimating surface velocity distribution during floods and harsh weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'China threat' has been identified as an important driver of Japan's security agenda and discourse. The threat posed by China has been discussed either as a given factor determining the trajectory of Tokyo's security approach, as a product of identity construction, or as an expression of securitizing processes that facilitate institutional and policy change. This paper contributes to this debate by offering an alternative explanation of the process through which the Abe government constructed China as a threat. Building on securitization theory, the paper examines the modes and strategies employed by the Abe Administration to successfully securitize China. The paper argues that, while Beijing was labeled a 'concern' rather than an 'existential threat,' it was still securitized through a process of securitization that involves an association with those domains in which China engages assertively, namely the maritime commons. The paper suggests calling this type of securitizing pattern 'transversal securitization' and explores how this indirect strategy allowed the Abe government to pragmatically pursue its objectives both domestically and at the international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Michael Rush sheds light on the Japanese 'Nordic Turn' in the family policy, including a father-friendly parental leave scheme after the 2000s in his work published in 2015. Despite this and the Japanese Government's apparent desire to encourage fathers to take parental leave, the policy does not seem effective as in Nordic countries. This paper examines what makes Japan's statutory parental leave scheme difficult to work like the ones in Nordic countries by analyzing the process of the amendments of the leave scheme after the 2014 amendment. The study pays particular attention to the views expressed by the various actors involved in the law-making process on the issue of the inconsistency between bonus months, which is a father quota, and the special extension of parental leave in case of no childcare place, and how this was reflected in the final bill. The paper reveals that the process was not confined to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare but was heavily influenced by the work of the Cabinet Office, project teams of the ruling party, and private groups promoting work-life balance measures. Partly because of this, the Japanese parental leave system has diverged significantly from the Nordic and German systems to which it was originally referred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In parallel with many other countries, the government of Japan has started to tackle coastal adaptations to climate change. In 2020, the national Basic Policy for Coastal Protection was revised to add the statement that coastal management should account for future changes in coastal hydrodynamic conditions due to climate change. Following this policy, the management body of each coast is requested to revise the Basic Plan for Coastal Protection by 2025. This paper first reviews the current legal frameworks and measures of coastal protection and conservation, such as disaster prevention and mitigation against stormy waves, storm surges and tsunamis, beach conservation, and maintenance of coastal protection facilities. Second, the paper outlines the recent actions taken for coastal adaptation to climate change. With example cases in Osaka and Tokyo bays, it is described how design conditions such as design waves and water levels should account for the influence of climate change. It is also described how adaptive beach management should be implemented accounting for projections of future beach changes. Finally, the paper discusses future challenges in coastal adaptation strategies to climate change in Japan, such as introduction of integrated coastal zone management and other potential options that have not been implemented in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan's war reparations began to be paid to Burma and the Philippines in 1956 and ended in 1976. Approximately 65 years have passed since the reparation payment began. The nature of Japan's Official Development Assistance, which has been based on economic infrastructure and prioritises Asia, began with war reparations. Although post-war reparations are relevant to Japan's economic statecraft, previous studies have analysed only the negotiation process for individual countries. No comprehensive historical analysis of war reparations has been conducted so far. This paper fills this gap by analysing the declassified materials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the state-of-the-art Japanese literature based on those materials. It also clarifies the characteristics of war reparations as part of Japan's Official Development Assistance by looking at the projects and goods paid by the reparations in each country. Furthermore, this paper challenges the conventional understanding of previous research on Japan's economic re-entry into Southeast Asia through reparations. The study concludes that reparations were unimportant in increasing Japan's exports to Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the admissions practices of an 'Elite Traditional International School' (ETIS) in a large city in Japan. The school is seeing falling enrolment from its traditional clients e.g.'transnational capitalist class' families working for Embassies and its alumnus, whilst attracting an emergent aspiring locally-based body of parents representative of a 'global middle class' likely seeking advantages, and a new, distinct identity. The resultant tension, between dealing with market-led change (reflecting the reality) and trying to maintain and protect legitimacy as an ideologically driven institution serving the privileged 'international community' (reflecting the vision), creates a platform (the nomos) for admission practices that are potentially biased and largely hidden. Utilising a methodology grounded in the work of Pierre Bourdieu we identify how the school adopts a number of 'unwritten rules', to 'guard the gate'. Moreover, the imagined 'international community' emerges as a major field of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like many fields, visual literacy is enamoured with digital cameras. They are convenient for classrooms, can accelerate learning, and can facilitate research where verbal language cannot. However, exclusive use puts at risk the possibility of experiencing affordances of other photomedia. This paper argues for diversifying photomedia used in research. While it recognises that digital cameras have a role to play in developing visual skills, particularly when resources are limited, it posits that sole use of digital cameras obfuscate other possibilities for expression. Adopting autoethnographic description, affordances were considered of three photomedia as used during a rephotography project along Japan's north-eastern coast between 2019 and 2022. Setting out photomedia literacy as a competence that complements rather than competes with a range of other literacies (e.g. media literacy, digital literacy, information literacy), the paper concludes with challenges for any scholars thinking that digital cameras are convenient one-stop solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a report relating to the Japanese hanging scrolls. The section focuses on the three hanging scrolls featured at the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as of October 2006. It discusses the treatment options, condition of the scrolls and paintings, and several aspects of the treatment process of the three hanging scrolls in comparison with a hanging scroll also executed in the Edo period, 1660-1868, which was completely remounted. According to the report, the condition of each scroll was carefully examined by conservators in the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio.

Presents abstracts of the articles that appeared in the "Journal of Japanese Forestry," volume 85, number 1. "Forest management profit model for subsidy to CO2 absorbing function of forest"; "Rainfall interception studies in the tropical forests"; "A comparative review of forest recreation studies in Japan and the United States"; "Trend analysis of recreational activities for forest management in Japan".

This document is a collection of abstracts from the Japanese Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. It includes summaries of various research studies and awards in the field of soil science and plant nutrition. Topics covered include greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural fields, the effects of cover crops on soil functions, molecular-scale speciation of elements in soil, environment-friendly fertilization and soil management technologies, evaluation of soil nutrient availability, transporters for mineral elements in rice, and microbial communities in paddy soil. The document also includes original papers on the underestimation of radiocesium retention in soil and the effects of pH neutralization on tea plant growth. Additionally, there are notes on analysis methods for ammoniac nitrogen and dung detection in pastures, as well as lectures on international collaboration in soil science and plant nutrition research and the digitalization of agroecosystems. The document concludes with miscellaneous articles on the importance of soil education and regional trends in the Kansai region. [Extracted from the article]

This paper contains a biographical sketch of the late Japanese number theorist Jitsuro Nagura (1901–68) based on material provided by his eldest son Riichi Nagura, and a synopsis of his two surviving mathematical papers, the first a well-known article on primes in short intervals, and the second an unpublished draft of a proof relating to complex polynomials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a project on singles' intimate practices conducted during COVID times as a case study of quantitative social research with a particular focus on qualitative reflections. We thematize the topic of self-reflexivity, which is considered an essential category in qualitative research but largely neglected in quantitative research. We discuss three methodological issues through the lens of self-reflection: 'translation issues'; the problems of asking 'sensitive' and the 'right' questions; and the problematics of 'the present' in particularly fluid times. We show that this approach promotes contextualization of the measurement tool, the data and the findings and can be a way for doing quantitative research on intimacy outside the 'standard' nuclear family in pandemic times. Overall, this paper underscores the ways that scholars as individuals and teams are inextricable from our research site, as we navigate disruption even while seeking to understand its implications on our informants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of orbital debris poses a significant threat to spacecraft and satellites in outer space. As the United States currently operates the highest number of satellites in space, its space assets face a heightened risk of orbital debris collision. Mitigation of debris is important, but insufficiently addresses that risk. Debris remediation efforts can supplement mitigation to reduce future collision risks by decreasing the number of large debris, particularly in crowded low Earth Orbit (LEO). After investigating the risks that orbital debris present and current efforts to manage their impact, this paper argues that there is need to implement a national Active Debris Removal (ADR) strategy to protect U.S. space assets and improve the space environment for safe operations. Based on two case studies examining the ADR initiatives of Europe and Japan, we draw four main recommendations for U.S. implementation: (1) commercial initiatives towards ADR capabilities in LEO are promising, (2) government support of an ADR commercial market ensures the latter's long-term viability, (3) commercial initiatives lower ADR cost and invite innovation, improving the ADR chances of success, and (4) starting with simpler ADR cases reduces U.S. government risk and lowers investment requirements for companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contrasts agricultural protection of Japan and Korea with the West and identifies major differences between them. It characterizes agricultural protection of Japan and Korea (net heavy food importers) as "tariff-based and scarcity-sensitive" aimed at promoting survival and the West (net food exporters) as "subsidy-based and surplus-inducing" aimed at enhancing farm income. We then identify factors underlying the coevolution and divergence in the extent of agricultural trade liberalization between Japan and Korea since the launch of the Uruguay Round in 1986. Korea accepted deep cuts in agricultural tariffs in bilateral FTAs with the US and EU during the 2000s while Japan continued to protect farm interests by concluding low levels of FTAs with politically sensitive products excluded from tariff concessions. The two countries' stances reversed since 2013 with Japan becoming proactive in pursuing high levels of FTAs with major agricultural exporting countries and Korea decelerating its opening of agricultural markets. To explain such divergences, this paper develops a political economy framework in which the incumbent political leadership would consider both national interests and sectoral (farm as import competing industries and business/manufacturing as exporting industries) special interests. Our analysis shows that President Roh (2002–2007)'s embracing of neoliberal paradigm in formulating foreign trade policies that would promote national interests underlies the unprecedented level of agricultural trade liberalization in Korea during the 2000s, while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's determination not to be outcompeted by the rising China and Korea's ambitious FTA strategies underlies Japan's proactive bilateral and mega-FTA drives since 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of forest research. They include "Development and validation of a method of forestry region classification using PCA and cluster analysis together with the SOM algorithm," "Natural drying of logging residue stems along a forest road and on a paved landing," and "Complex influence of wind and topography in predicting area of fire spread for forest fires: as exemplified by a forest fire in Kakamigahara City."

The article presents abstracts of forestry research in Japan. They include "Seed rot of post-dispersal Prunus verecunda seeds induced by sucking of Macroscytus japonensis," "Influence of parameters and light environment under the canopy on the fuel moisture estimation model," and " Development, practice, and evaluation of a forest educational program on the subject of Mt. Fuji: problems and their solutions in conducting forest education for primary and secondary schools."

The article presents abstracts from the "Journal of The Japanese Forest Society. They include "Regeneration process of broadleaved trees in planted Larix kaempferi forests," "Structure and growth in an old-growth sugi (Cryotomeria japonica) forest in Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan," "An investigation on the allocation of selection weight on growth and wood basic density to maximize carbon storage in the stem of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D.Don) plustree clones," "Long-range estimation of leaf area index using airborne laser altimetry in Siberian boreal forest," and "Shortening examination cycles of male-sterile Cryptomeria japonica trees."

Presents abstracts of articles published in the October 2003 issue of "Journal of Japanese Forest Society." "Prediction model of the occurrence probability of bark-stripping by sika deer in plantation forests in Kumamoto Prefecture," by Tomoki Inoue, Junji Miyajima, and Takuhiko Murakami; "The relationships between density of Japanese hare and forest vegetation in the fome range of a pair of Golden Eagles on Mt. Akita-Komagatake," by Seiya Abe, Makoto Nashimoto, and Hitohito Yatake; "Change in the annual discharge after clear-cutting a 70-year-old mixed plantation of sugi and hinoki in a Tertiary formation area," by Eiichi Maita, Masakazu Suzuki, and Takehiko Ohta.

The article presents abstracts from the "Journal of Japanese Forest Society." It informs that stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes were studied in a community of a headwater stream covered with old-growth deciduous forest in central Japan, in spring. The podocarp bark borer, Hirticlytus comosus (Matsushita), is one of the most serious pest insects of Podocarpus macrophillus (Thunb.) The researchers selected two male sterile sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) trees (M-1, M-2) from 10,902 Tateyama-sugi seedlings.

While most Japanese legal dramas feature a male protagonist as the hero, a significant amount of screen time is allocated to the courtroom heroine as well. This is in spite of statistics that show that women are still underrepresented in the Japanese legal profession. Surveying post-2000 Japanese legal television dramas reveals that televisual female legal professionals conform to two stock character types and corresponding narrative arcs: the rookie lawyer, and the elite but "fallen" lawyer. While most shows only feature one such heroine, Onna wa sore wo yurusanai (2014) features two, representing both types. This paper closely examines how the two stock characters are portrayed in this drama and the relevance of each to the larger narrative which reveals the difficulties female legal professionals face while navigating Japan's male-dominated legal domain. The paper concludes that the increasing presence of the heroine in legal dramas and her overall positive portrayal, reflects the Japanese government's goal of raising the number of legal professionals and women's participation in all public sectors by 2020, and also indicates changing attitudes on the part of Japanese society toward the need to give greater recognition and social acceptance to female legal professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubus chingii Hu 1925 is an important medicinal vine shrub in the Rosaceae family, widely distributed in China and Japan. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of R. chingii was sequenced and identified. The chloroplast genome was 155,563 bp in size with a total GC content of 37.06%. Two 25,749-bp inverted repeat (IRA and IRB) regions divided the genome as four sections, with the remainder forming a large single-copy (LSC, 85,322 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC, 18,743 bp) regions. This genome contained a total of 131 genes, of which 86 were protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that R. chingii, along with several other R. longisepalus, R. tsangii, R. hirsutus, R. taiwanicola, R. rubroangustifolius, and R. glandulosopunctatus, formed the monophylic group. Interestingly, the chloroplast genome structure we reported was different from the previously reported structure and provided richer phylogenetic analysis information in the Rubus genus compared to previous studies. The genome information reported in this paper will provide some useful information for further investigation on the evolution of the family Rosaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise charging time prediction can effectively mitigate the inconvenience to drivers induced by inevitable charging behavior throughout trips. Although the effectiveness of the machine learning (ML) algorithm in predicting future outcomes has been established in a variety of applications (transportation sector), the investigation into electric vehicle (EV) charging time prediction is almost new. This calls for the investigation of the ML algorithm to predict EV charging time. The study developed an EV charging time prediction model based on two years of charging event data collected from 500 EVs in Japan. To predict EV charging time, this paper employed three ML algorithms: extreme learning machine (ELM), feed-forward neural network (FFNN), and support vector regression (SVR). Furthermore, ML algorithms parameters are optimized by a metaheuristic techniques: the gray wolf optimizer (GWO), particle swarm optimizer (PSO), and genetic algorithm (GA) to achieve higher accuracy and robustness. The prediction results reveal that GWO-based ML models yielded better results compared to other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the port reforms in Japan, the Japanese government has intensively invested in physical infrastructure to maintain the trunk routes at selected and legally repositioned first rank strategic international ports under the Strategic International Container Port Policy. However, although central international ports, which are legally ranked second, have important roles to play in trade with Asia, it is difficult to expand the functions of these ports further without the development of strategic measures, given the government policies and accompanying budget constraints. This paper describes an examination of the feasibility of logistics strategies for a second-rank port to become a hub for Asia in Japan consistent with the current policy by using the global logistics intermodal network simulation, considering Hakata Port as a case study. The results show that Hakata Port has the potential to collect cargo from ports on the Japan Sea side and to launch shuttle services to Southeast Asia. The simulation results also suggest that cooperation with Kitakyushu Port, which is geographically close, is desirable. Approaches based on the characteristics of port governance in Japan are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique aspect of Japanese football culture is that educational institutions have remained its primary exponents since its introduction in the late-nineteenth century. This paper analyses why educational institutions became so influential in Japanese football, utilizing articles published in the inaugural nationwide football magazine, Shūkyū, between 1931 and 41. Through a comprehensive analysis of various articles, selected essays provide evidence of (1) the eligibility of organized games to 'cultivate character'; (2) Japanese football's embrace and re-interpretation of the tenets of amateurism inherent in public school games; (3) the association of football participation in schools with the educational ideology of individualism; (4) the perception of sports by the educated elite as a fundamental element of Japanese education, rallying against the public perception that sports and schoolwork could be adequately balanced. Additionally, articles highlight the prominent role played by the Japanese 'educated elite' in promoting and disseminating the values of English association football as components of Japanese football culture, influenced by their ability to translate overseas sports media. This paper concludes that Japanese football literature was influential in disseminating the role of sport and education, which came to personify the institutionalization of the sport throughout the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]