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The article presents information on the 4th Asian Oceania Epilepsy Organization (AOEO). AOEO was founded at the 25th Annual Congress of the Japan Epilepsy Society (JES) with Dr.M. Seino as the President. The 4th AOEC was held in collaboration with the 36th Annual Congress of the JES from September 11 to 14, 2002 in Karuizawa, Japan. It was an important milestone in the history of development of epileptology and epilepsy care in Asia in terms of the richness of its scientific program and the large number of participants. The scientific program consisted of one special lecture, four symposia, two workshops, eight didactic lectures, the ILAE/IBE/WHO Global Campaign Meeting and 332 free papers.

Background: The mortality and risk factors of severe disease and death due to arterial and venous thromboembolism (ATE and VTE, respectively) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain unclear, especially in Asia. Aims: This study aimed to reveal the mortality and risk factors of TE in IBD patients in Japan. Methods: In the primary surveillance, responses to questionnaires regarding the number of cases of severe TE and TE-associated death in IBD patients in a span of over the past 10 years were obtained from 32 institutions in Japan. In the secondary surveillance, detailed data about IBD patients with TE were collected. The characteristics, laboratory data, therapy status, and situation at the time of TE development were retrospectively collected, and the data were compared between the patients with and without severe TE and TE-associated death. Results: The incidence of TE was 1.89% among 31,940 IBD patients. The frequencies of severe TE and TE-associated mortality were 10.7% and 1.0% among the total IBD and TE with IBD patients, respectively. The only risk factor for severe ATE and ATE-associated death was ischemic heart disease. The independent risk factors for severe VTE and VTE-associated death were age (≤ 45 years old), the site of VTE, and disease severity, with anti-TNF therapy as a potential negative risk factor. Patients with severe VTE had a high risk of developing persistent VTE and sequelae. Conclusion: Unlike ATE, the incidence of VTE was comparable in Asian and Western countries. Therapeutic and prophylactic strategies for managing IBD-associated TE in Asia are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an institutional comparison of 13 major Asian business systems—China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam—with one another and five major Western economies—France, Germany, Sweden, the UK and the USA. We find five major types of business systems in Asia: (post-)socialist, advanced city, emerging Southeast Asian, advanced Northeast Asian and Japanese. With the exception of Japan, all Asian forms of capitalism are fundamentally distinct from Western types of capitalism. We conclude that the Varieties of Capitalism (VOC) dichotomy is not applicable to Asia; that none of the existing major frameworks capture all Asian types of capitalism; and that Asian business systems (except Japan) cannot be understood through categories identified in the West. Our analysis further suggests a need for the field to invest in further research on social capital, culture, informality and multiplexity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an exploratory survey as part of a presentation for the Bridging Worlds 2008 conference. It seeks to understand how library institutions in the South East Asia (SEA) region have implemented Web 2.0 technologies--blogs, RSS feeds, wikis, or the use of services like Flickr, YouTube, de.lici.ous. Design/methodology/approach: Libraries surveyed were in: Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, People's Republic of China, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. The survey relied on references in published papers, internet searches and personal contacts. Findings: The survey found that more academic libraries than public libraries were using Web 2.0. technologies. Blogs and RSS feeds were the most common. Blogs were used mainly as web publishing tools rather than as a means to engage library users. Research limitations/implications: The survey is not comprehensive. The search relied mainly on English publications and keywords, while the native language of most countries surveyed was non-English. Future research could comprehensively cover each country, by the type of library or language. Practical implications: The paper contends that Web 2.0 does not rely on technology, but more on practice and participation. The emphasis should be on relationships rather than transactions. Suggestions are offered on how libraries can adopt a Library 2.0 mindset without focusing on technology. A call is made to establish an East Asian Librarians 2.0 directory. Originality/value: The paper offers a non-technological perspective to institutions and practising professionals who are reviewing their Web 2.0 implementation.

Abstract: This paper uses the traditional variance ratio test of Lo and MacKinlay (1988, 1989), the non-parametric-based variance ratio test of Wright (2000) and the multiple-variance ratio test of Chow and Denning (1993), to re-examine the validity of the weak form efficient market hypothesis for foreign exchange markets in four floating-rate markets in neighboring Asian economies (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines). The results show that the random walk patterns of the exchange rate return series cannot be rejected, with the one exception of Taiwan, where inefficiency is shown to be most prominent. We therefore conclude that the foreign exchange markets of Japan, South Korea and the Philippines are weak form efficient, while the foreign exchange market of Taiwan is inefficient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Abstract: This case study examines in detail the factors responsible for the emergence of a highly successful South-east Asian brand – MK Restaurants. MK restaurants is a privately owned company that has grown from humble beginnings to a chain of over 250 restaurants in Thailand and tasted success in expanding into Europe and Japan. Our analysis suggest that MK Restaurants has built the brand from through living a set of brand values, astute positioning that appeals to a wide demographic and the global trend towards healthier eating, and a marketing communications budget that exceeds McDonalds and KFC in Thailand. Furthermore, brand extensions, a genuine customer centric philosophy that is practiced at all levels in the firm, an adherence to the service-profit-chain concept (i.e., happy staff are more likely to deliver better service quality, which in turn drives customer loyalty and repeat patronage), and a state of the art logistic and supply chain system have all driven brand success. Key lessons for other service brands are drawn and explicated in the paper’s final section. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the changing power dynamics between China and Japan and to assess their implications for the two countries' perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards each other and the changing patterns of security in Asia. It argues that China's expanding power coupled with the recently accelerated emergence of a more assertive or proactive Japan has created the conditions for a deep and decisive turn in Chinese thinking on the character and structure of the U.S.-Japan alliance, the main forces shaping the evolving structure of power in Asia, and the parameters of political and strategic interaction between China and Japan within this structure. It begins by canvassing the Japan-related assumptions that have governed China's expectations of a future regional security order since the end of the Cold War, and how they have been challenged over the last several years by the erosion of Japan's identity as a passive and reactive state, the growing importance of popular opinion to China's foreign policy decision-making, and the transformation and realignment of the U.S.-Japan security alliance. Proceeding from the premise that these developments have cast doubt over commonly offered predictions of the conditions in which conflict and cooperation are likely to result between China and Japan, it then turns to what can be done now to peacefully manage the China-Japan relationship during a period of transition in which profound uncertainty about Japan's security role(s) will probably make it difficult for many Chinese not to see malign intentions in Japan's every move. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North Korea's missile and nuclear tests in 2009 highlighted the strategic environment of Northeast Asia as well as the current tactical calculation of countries involved. North Korea is benefiting from its relative strategic weakness and lack of policy and tactical coordination among members of the Six-Party Talks. Without the effective military capability to deal with the North Korean threat, Japan relies heavily on economic sanctions to deal with the issue. This paper argues that Japan's North Korea policy is currently regarding the abduction issue as its foremost priority; its policy in approaching North Korea is becoming static and inflexible. Without a diplomatic solution in sight, Japan has established non-military means to pressure North Korea, as well as a contingency plan to deal with incoming threats. Under the auspices of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1718 and its domestic arrangements, Japan virtually curtailed economic relations with North Korea. Furthermore, Japan prepared crisis arrangement exercises which may be applicable to bio-terrorism and pandemics. Recently, there have been some political debates regarding options to attack defensively. These debates reflect Japan's activism in regional affairs, and the seriousness of threat posed by North Korea. Along with other members of the Six-Party Talks, Japan may have to seek an appropriate balance between pressure and negotiation in order to maintain the status quo and reduce the threats posed by North Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demographic structure of Asia is expected to change rapidly from around 2020 up to around 2050. Following Japan, which is already at an advanced stage of aging and birthrate decline, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore will also witness a further decline in their birthrates and an aging of their populations. Next in line will be the remaining countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations as well as India. Such changes, accompanied by a decline in the labor force, will not only adversely affect economic growth, but also have a major impact on voting structures, savings rates, and social security systems. Moreover, the process of demographic aging in Asia will be faster than in Japan, and its extent will be substantial, both of which exacerbates the negative effects. On positive side, these trends will give rise to the emergence of new markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the state of thermal spraying in Asia. He mentions that Korea has more than forty thermal spraying companies and is engaged in research. He comments that with China's economic expansion, its thermal spray industry is small but has a lot of potential for growth. He also discusses thermal spraying in Japan.

The article discusses the issues featured in the journal which focused on ageing particularly in Asia. There are four topics on the studies including the experience of old age, intergenerational relations, economics and social policy and longevity and the culture of ageing. One report talks about the Asian or Pacific region which is the most rapidly ageing world region with 20 percent of its projected population over 60 by 2050. Another topic touches on the ageing crisis in Japan.

Abstract: The Asia and Oceania Society for Comparative Endocrinology (AOSCE) was founded in 1987, when the first congress was held in Nagoya, Japan. The purpose of the AOSCE is to progress scientific activities in the field of comparative endocrinology in Asia and Oceania and to establish a deep relationship among the members. For this purpose, the AOSCE holds a congress or an intercongress symposium every 2years, which organizes an attractive scientific program covering the latest progress in the broad aspect of comparative endocrinology. 2012 was the 25th anniversary of AOSCE. Our scientific activities have increased dramatically during the past 25years. The 7th AOSCE congress was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2012. The theme of this congress was “Overcoming challenges in the 21st century”. To overcome challenges in the 21st century, we further need to create new research directions in comparative endocrinology from Asia and Oceania. This paper describes a brief history of the AOSCE and also highlights the discovery of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) and the progress of GnIH research as one of new research directions in comparative endocrinology. In 2000, GnIH was discovered in Japan and now more than 50 laboratories are working on GnIH in the world. The discovery of GnIH has changed our understanding about regulation of the reproductive axis drastically in the past decade. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Asia-Pacific region has the highest number of active smokers in the world. Efforts to reduce tobacco use should implement evidence-based measures. The Association of Pacific Rim Universities is a non-profit network of more than 50 universities representing 18 economies. In 2017, it held a virtual global health case competition relating to the use of universities as platforms for tobacco control. This study is a content analysis of tobacco control proposals submitted by 24 teams from 10 economies. Content analysis of the 10-min videos examined (1) general tone and scope of videos; (2) contextual analysis; (3) intervention approaches; (4) theoretical framework; (5) primary versus secondary prevention; (6) individual versus structural approaches. Proposals were not comprehensive; most included some but not all elements recommended by the WHO FCTC. Smoking was often referred to as a 'habit' (instead of an addiction), which likely explains the predominance of individual-level behavior change interventions (smoking cessation) over structural interventions (tobacco ad or sales bans). The most common intervention was the enforcement of current bans on smoking (proposed in 78% of videos), perceived as a major barrier to tobacco control. While most proposals emphasized individual components (e.g. health education and peer support), some also proposed to create more supportive smoke-free environments through billboards, posters and cues to action, such as 'no smoking' reminders and signs with cessation hotline numbers. University faculty, students and campus-wide organizations are well positioned to lead tobacco control efforts. More work is needed to support the establishment of smoke-free campus environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the security affairs between Japan and Asia-Pacific region. Investigation on the natural and normal about Japan; Analysis of the formal and informal bilateral and embryonic multilateral security arrangements; Advantages and disadvantages of analytical eclecticism for the security affairs.

This article deals with the assumptions and implications of the Malaysian policy for "learning from Japan". The article explores the ways in which this policy has effectively been operated in drawing a new geography of "Asia", dislodging colonial legacies in the region and countering the consolidation of other regional blocs. Cross-national educational interaction has increasingly been a key issue in international relations. After the end of the Cold War, the traffic of people, commodities and information is blocked less and less by the barriers of state political ideologies, and has begun to hinge on new notions of boundaries. Free trade blocs are formed by agreements among "neighbours", sharing economic advantage and the quality of basic values, such as "democracy" and "human rights". Such communal values play a powerful role in the redefinition of "us" and the legitimisation of regional societies. The vigour of cross-national educational transfer in the past two decades, as will be argued, has effectively been used for the formation of new identities of individual nations and for the promotion of new aspirations for the regional alliances. (Contains 3 tables.)

Describes the economic development of Asia and the history of Japanese industrial policy. Initiatives launched by the Japanese government to increase its international presence in the late 1980s; Support given by the World Bank to Japan; Role of the Japanese foreign aid program in bailing out Japanese industry from the effects of the high yen.

In the early months of 2005, much of the world celebrated the 60th anniversary of the World War II Allied victory over Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Around the same time, protests erupted in Asia against a revised Japanese history textbook, "The New History Textbook," which critics said covered up Japanese World War II atrocities. This type of sanitized history makes it hard to discuss issues related to World War II and prevents students from learning historical events. To help students better understand the past, and its direct impact on current events, textbooks and classroom teaching should accommodate multiple perspectives of important historical events, and inform students of both the Western and non-Western perspectives. In this article, the authors delve into the tension between Japan and some Asian countries regarding the aforementioned Japanese history textbook and discuss the three principal Japanese war crimes--which together are increasingly referred to as the "Asian Holocaust." The authors also suggest resources to support further learning on World War II history in American social studies classes. (Contains 28 notes.)

This paper provides the overview of "Shokuiku" in Japan, and discusses the future perspective on application of its concepts to nutrition education in other Asian countries. In Japan, there has been a growing concern on increase of obesity and the metabolic syndrome among middle-aged men. Additionally, child obesity has also become one of the important health problems. The increased obesity among them is possibly associated with inappropriate dietary habits (eg skipping breakfast, excessive fat intake and insufficient vegetable). Under this circumstance, the "Basic Law on Shokuiku" was enacted in 2005, which was the first law that regulates one's diets and eating habits. For effective implementation of Shokuiku program, dietitians and registered dietitians would play important roles in various settings. Japan has a long history of dietitian system as well as school-lunch programs. Later, in order to further enhance the school-based Shokuiku programs, the Diet and Nutrition Teacher System was established in April 2007. From an international point of view, "nutrition education" programs aim to improve dietary practices so as to ensure adequate energy or nutrient intake and also to reduce obesity and life-style-related diseases, whereas the concepts of Shokuiku have very wide approaches. Shokuiku's efforts expand to support food culture, especially through school-based programs, as well as to improve food environment by providing information on appropriate diets. These approaches can be introduced in nutrition education in other Asian countries, not only to improve one's health and nutritional status but also to secure food culture and food safety in each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese textbooks have caused extensive controversy and international antagonism both inside and outside Japan, particularly in East Asia. The textbook issue has become one of the major sources of diplomatic friction between Japan and other countries and has provoked widespread anti-Japanese demonstrations in Korea and China. How is it that teaching materials for schools in Japan have become a serious problem for diplomatic relationships? Is it the content of the textbook that really matters? What fuels the dispute over the textbooks, and how does it affect people and the society in these countries? This paper will answer these questions by examining the historical development of Japanese history textbook controversies in Japan, China and Korea. Focusing on the interactions between domestic political factors and international relations, it will show first, that the controversy over textbooks was determined by both domestic and international political factors as well as by the contents of the history presented in the books; second, that the media played a significant role in the process; and finally, that the number of the actors concerned with the issue increased to become an international force through the emergence of an international civil society coalition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined NO2 and CO2 observations have the potential to constrain the identification of the locations and strength of urban CO2 emissions, in particular, point sources such as power plants. We report the first results of airborne spectroscopic NO2 and CO2 observations over an urban area in Japan in February 2018. Inversed emission rates of two stacks of the coal‐fired power plant for CO2 showed relatively good agreement with those estimated by a bottom‐up inventory—the Regional Emission inventory in ASia (REAS) v3.1—within −7% to 40% because the plume shapes were well identified due to constraint by NO2 measurements. The estimated NOx emission rates showed discrepancies more than 80% with those estimated by the REAS v3.1, mainly due to the uncertainties in activity data and emission factors, or in the greatly varying NO/NO2 ratios in fresh plumes, which warrant further investigations when estimating NOx emissions from satellite NO2 observations on km‐scales. Plain Language Summary: Burning of fossil fuels at high temperatures constitutes a major anthropogenic source of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2). While CO2 stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, thereby being a well‐mixed gas, NO2 has a much shorter lifetime of only a few hours. This substantial difference in lifetime between NO2 and CO2 means that concurrent NO2 and CO2 observations obtained by the same platform can be used to identify the locations and strength of CO2 emissions from point sources such as power plants. In February 2018, for the first time, we obtained concurrent airborne spectroscopic NO2 and CO2 observations over an urban area, to demonstrate the traceability of NO2 to CO2. The plumes of co‐emitted NO2 and CO2 were derived from measured spectra. The plumes of NO2 and CO2 co‐emitted from the stacks of power plants were well identified owing to constraint by NO2. Uncertainties of inversed emission rates were statistically derived. For CO2, the results were within 40% in agreement with a bottom‐up emission inventory known as REAS v3.1. For NOx, however, a disagreement of 80% was identified, likely due to the uncertainties of the inventory data or in the NOx partitioning in fresh plumes. Key Points: Concurrent observations of NO2 and CO2 in fresh plumes from a large single point source using airborne spectrometers were reportedColumnar enhancements of NO2 and CO2 due to power plant emissions were up to 3.8 × 1016 molec.cm−2 and 75 ppm, respectivelyPlume shapes of CO2 emitted from power plants were well identified and constrained by NO2 plume shapes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Heterogeneity in successful aging has been found across countries. Yet, comparable evidence is sparse except in North America and Europe. Extending prior research, this study examined the prevalence and correlates of successful aging in East Asia: China, Korea, and Japan. Method We used harmonized data sets from national surveys. A total of 6,479 participants (aged between 65 and 75) were analyzed. Using Rowe and Kahn's (1987 , 1997) model, successful aging was defined as having no major diseases, no difficulty performing activities of daily living, obtaining a median or higher score on tests of cognitive function, and being actively engaged. Results The average prevalence of successful agers was 17.6%. There were variations in the global and specific measures of successful aging within and across countries, even after controlling for individual sociodemographic factors (age, gender, and education). The odds of aging successfully were highest in Japan and lowest in China, especially in the rural areas. Being younger and males were associated with a higher likelihood of successful agers in both global and specific measures. Discussion This study observed heterogeneity in successful aging in East Asia. To identify policy implications, future research should explore potential societal factors influencing individuals' opportunities for successful aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the global moment surrounding 1898 to see the way in which the spectre of Japan was rapidly transforming the European imperial powers' understanding of the region and revealing to them an emerging geography of political affinity then stitching together pockets of Asia. Intra-Asian connections/affinities antedated the appearance of Western interests, were sustained during the long period of Spanish rule, and infused the anti-colonial nationalist movement that culminated in the Philippine Revolution. American Empire: A Global History follows most of the traditional Philippine and American literatures on the period of high imperialism in failing to acknowledge the importance of the Asian setting. While Hopkins's move to bring the larger insular American empire into a single focus is novel and deeply important, the immediate, regional Asian setting of this moment in Philippine history – and American history – should also be restored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes development of Global Age from Japanese perspective; discusses peace and human-rights activities of the United Nations Economic and Social Council; describes development of individual character and universal attributes; explains Japanese concept of living together; discusses awareness problems related to Japan's relationship with other Asian countries, especially Korea; describes implications for education. (Contains 20 references.) (PKP)

Investigates the existence, extent and impact of non-tariff barriers as perceived by Indonesian exporters to Japan. Survey results indicating that with the exception of customs problems and a number of import quotas which many regard as discriminatory, the majority of respondents find most non-tariff barriers in trade with Japan to be non-discriminatory.

Explores the differences between investment policies compatible with Anglo-American economic norms and the Japanese foreign industrial policy. Sequential transfer of comparative advantage down through the ranks of Asian developing countries; Economic integration into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation organization.

According to the Open Doors report from the Institute of International Education, more than a half million international students are currently studying in the United States. Over half of the international students are from Asia, both the subcontinent (India is the leading sending nation of students) and the Far East (China, Korea, and Japan leading in numbers sent). Following Asia, 13% of our international students are from Europe, 12% from Latin America, 6% from Africa, 6% from the Middle East, and 1 % from Oceania. Open Doors reports that international students contribute over $13 billion to the U.S. economy. The author believes that the contributions of these students are much more far-reaching than monetary, however. The author stresses that Americans are blessed to have their lives enriched by other cultures and their minds broadened by insightful students. People might have stories about compelling, perspective-changing experiences by or with international students. In this article, the author shares a few of the students that enrich the author's life every day.

Knowledge of the displacement history of the series of continental fragments in Northeast Asia is key to understanding the plate kinematic evolution of the western peri-Pacific tectonic domain. Palaeomagnetism is an effective approach for deciphering the horizontal movements of crustal elements, especially vertical-axis rotations. Here we present a set of new palaeomagnetic data from Lower Cretaceous volcanic rocks from the northeastern part of the North China Block (NCB), and from Lower Cretaceous sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks from the Bureya-Jiamusi-Khanka terrane. The data suggest that the northeastern NCB crustal elements underwent a clockwise motion relative to the Eurasian continent after the Early Cretaceous, and in addition a substantial counterclockwise deformation component is observed in the Bureya-Jiamusi-Khanka terrane. Combined with the results of previous Cretaceous and Cenozoic palaeomagnetic studies, we suggest that the northeast part of the North China Block and the Korean Peninsula experienced ~20° of clockwise rotation during the Cenozoic. However, the Bureya-Jiamusi-Khanka terrane and its eastern neighbouring Pacific-related accretionary terranes, such as the Sikhote-Alin Orogenic belt, however, underwent a contemporaneous 40°counter-clockwise rotation. The Japanese Islands, with juvenile crust in the easternmost part of Asia, were divided into a pair of terranes, which rotated in opposite directions during the Middle Miocene. The opposing senses of rotation are attributed to mantle wedge convection. We suggest that tectonic rotations of parts of Northeast Asia are controlled by the subduction of the western Pacific Plate via lithospheric deep-shallow coupling. The two critical events were coeval with ridge subduction of the Izanagi-Pacific mid-ocean ridge under the continental margin during the Palaeocene, and the collision of the Izu-Bonin and Japanese Islands during the Middle Miocene, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mature larva of Cionus olivieri Rosenschoeld, 1838 is described and illustrated in detail for the first time. It is compared with those known from the same genus and other genera in the tribe Cionini and with those of the hypothesized sister tribe Mecinini in the Curculioninae. The larvae of Cionus have three distinctive diagnostic features: the reduced number of setae on the epicranium (only two or three des and one or two fs) and on the epipharyngeal lining (only two als, two ams, and no mes); i.e., distinctly fewer than the most frequent number of setae in weevils, and mandibles dentate or angulate internally near the base. If considered together with Stereonychus Suffrian, 1854, the other genus of Cionini with larvae studied in detail, it is preliminarily suggested that mature larvae of this tribe might be characterized by six main diagnostic features: (1) labial palpi one-segmented, (2) labral rods absent, (3) pedal areas swollen to form large lobes or prolegs, (4) mandible with sharp apical teeth, (5) reduced number of fs on frons, only one or two fs, and (6) reduced number of epipharyngeal setae (two or three als and two or three ams, but no mes). It was noticed that C. helleri Reitter, 1904 from Japan, a very distinct species in the genus for some characters of the adult, also possesses distinctive characters in the larva which are uncommon among known cionines. New biological data on C. olivieri with the discovery of its host plant, Verbascum songaricum (Scrophulariaceae), in central Asia are also reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of forage rice for whole‐crop silage has been increasing in Japan and will be important in Asia. In this study, effects of cultural practices on growth and yield of a forage rice cultivar "Tsukisuzuka" having short panicle 1 allele were analysed quantitatively using linear mixed model. The contribution of basal dressing to dry yield per 1 g/m2 nitrogen fertilizer was larger than that of topdressing. In addition, topdressing 30 and 20 days before heading was considered to have the disadvantage of increasing risk of lodging and panicle weight respectively. Effects of weather elements on growth of forage rice were also speculated. In tested fields, high solar radiation at seedling and tillering stage was considered important for the high yield. As the number of continuous cropping cycles increased, growth of forage rice got worse. And application of compost improved growth of forage rice. Elemental analysis of soil and plants revealed that this continuous cropping obstacle was likely to attributed to deficiency of potassium. In addition, potassium deficiency increased panicle weight of a forage rice cultivar having short panicle 1 allele. Therefore, control of potassium nutrition will be useful for both sustaining productivity (sufficient application of potassium) and seed production (restriction of potassium). These findings will be useful for improvement of cultivation method of forage rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School health promotion in South‐East Asia has developed rapidly in recent years, and Japan has been one of the significant contributors to the reinforcement of school health promotion in the region. Starting from the Hashimoto Initiative on global parasite control, Japan advocated for international partnerships with several agencies for the development of school health programs in South‐East Asia. Through a strengthened collaboration with international organizations, countries such as the Lao PDR, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand have created and implemented school health programs on nutrition, sanitation, and deworming, among others. In addition to school health program formulation and implementation, the expanded network in South‐East Asia led to more capable school health personnel, with many workers in the education and health sectors benefitting from the training programs jointly held by collaborating organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores issues related to economic integration among countries in Asia. It relates the proposals of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan in its "Asian Economic and Environmental Community" (AEEC) paper. It discusses the ability of Japan in matters concerning conservation and sustainable lifestyles. It describes how Japan can share its technology yo help India in addressing its water supply shortage. India can lend its expertise in the use of information technology (IT) for ensuring the safety of electronic commerce.

The article reflects on the progress of the journal "Digestive Endoscopy," which is the official journal of Japan Gastroenterlogical Endoscopy Society and Asian Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy. The journal's first edition was released in 1989. Since then, it has become the medium in showing the high standard of gastrointestinal endoscopy in Asian-Pacific countries.

Investigating biogeographical variations in diet composition can help understand the adaptability and generalism of species. Although the dietary adaptability of omnivorous mesocarnivores is well established, far less work has explored how more specialist hypercarnivores optimise their diets. By reviewing 11 studies of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), we quantitatively examined how dietary composition varies over the wide range of biomes they occupy in Asia. Specifically, we contrasted the diet of the Iriomote Island sub-species (south-western Japan), where native rodents are absent, with that of the mainland. Leopard cat diet typically comprised mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. In Iriomote Island, however, the low relative frequency of occurrence of small mammals (only introduced rats) was compensated by higher frequencies of reptiles and amphibians compared to the mainland. Consequently, trophic diversity and dietary niche breadth were higher for leopard cats in Iriomote Island than for the mainland. This shows that even hypercarnivorous species can use trophic plasticity to adapt to local prey availability. Given that rodent numbers often fluctuate substantially over time, the availability of alternative prey, such as herptiles, may be vital for the conservation of the leopard cat, and especially the critically endangered Iriomote cat. More generally, the trophic versatility of hypercarnivores must be considered when assessing their vulnerability to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a numerical integral method, we deduced a set of formulae for the co-seismic internal deformation in a spherically symmetric earth model, simultaneously taking self-gravitation, compressibility and realistically stratified structure of the Earth into account. Using these formulae, we can calculate the internal deformation at an arbitrary depth caused by an arbitrary seismic source. To demonstrate the correctness of our formulae, we compared our numerical solutions of radial functions with analytical solutions reported by Dong & Sun based on a homogeneous earth model; we found that two sets of results agree well with each other. Our co-seismic internal Green's functions in the near field agree well with the results calculated by the formulae of Okada, which also verifies our Green's functions. Finally, we calculated the Coulomb stress changes on the Japanese Islands and Northeast China induced by the Tohoku-Oki M w 9.0 earthquake using the methods described above. We found that the effect of layered structure plays a leading role on the near field, while curvature occupies a dominant position on the deep region of the far field. Through a comparison of the Coulomb stress changes at a depth of 10 km on a layered earth model calculated by our method along with the corresponding results of Okada, we found that the discrepancy between them in near field was ∼31.5 per cent, and that of far field was >100 per cent of the signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to test key social capital indicators in a disaster context by considering the bonding and bridging types of social capital. Using the East Asian Social Survey, this study chooses three behavioural/cognitive elements of social capital—social trust, voluntary association membership, and personal networks—and divides them into bonding and bridging social capital, in‐group and out‐group trust, homogeneous and heterogeneous membership, and strong and weak ties to test their effects on self‐evaluated community resilience to natural hazards. The results showed that social trust and personal networks had strong positive effects, but the effect of voluntary association membership was positive in societies with high rates of membership (Japan and South Korea) and negative in a society with a low rate of membership (Taiwan). Furthermore, while bonding social capital generally showed a stronger effect than bridging social capital in East Asia, a society with more frequent and intense disasters (Japan) showed a strong effect of heterogenous membership on self‐evaluated community resilience. This study connects two aspects of social capital studies—the elements and the types of social capital—and the findings imply that the relationship between social capital and community resilience may have some mediator variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We set out in this study to examine (a) whether "socially responsible investment" (SRI) portfolios can outperform less‐SRI portfolios in the emerging Asian stock markets and (b) whether investors within these emerging markets achieve awareness of SRI through publicly available news. On the basis of 2009–2013 data, we find that SRI portfolios tend to perform better in Japan. However, firms in the emerging Asian markets do not earn rewards for superior corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. We also find that investors in the emerging Asian markets are indeed aware of SRI through public CSR news releases; in particular, investors in these markets reward high environmental‐, social‐, and governance‐rated firms for their good CSR practices advertised through such news releases, relative to those with no news releases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study estimates future changes in the early summer precipitation characteristics around Japan using changes in the large-scale environment, by combining Global Precipitation Measurement precipitation radar observations and phase 5 of the Coupled Models Intercomparison Project climate model large-scale projections. Analyzing satellite-based data, we first relate precipitation in three types of rain events (small, organized, and midlatitude), which are identified via their characteristics, to the large-scale environment. Two environmental fields are chosen to determine the large-scale conditions of the precipitation: the sea surface temperature and the midlevel large-scale vertical velocity. The former is related to the lower-tropospheric thermal instability, while the latter affects precipitation via moistening/drying of the midtroposphere. Consequently, favorable conditions differ between the three types in terms of these two environmental fields. Using these precipitation–environment relationships, we then reconstruct the precipitation distributions for each type with reference to the two environmental indices in climate models for the present and future climates. Future changes in the reconstructed precipitation are found to vary widely between the three types in association with the large-scale environment. In more than 90% of models, the region affected by organized-type precipitation will expand northward, leading to a substantial increase in this type of precipitation near Japan along the Sea of Japan, and in northern and eastern Japan on the Pacific side, where its present amount is relatively small. This result suggests an elevated risk of heavy rainfall in those regions because the maximum precipitation intensity is more intense in organized-type precipitation than in the other two types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beet western yellows virus (BWYV; genus Polerovirus, family Luteoviridae) is one of the most important viruses causing yellowing disease of many field and vegetable crops. This study isolated different poleroviruses from sugar beet, spinach, radish and brassica in Japan, and identified them as BWYV‐JP, Beet leaf yellowing virus (BLYV), Brassica yellows virus (BrYV) and BrYV‐R (radish strain) based on host range and molecular analysis. Among over 100 plant species from 19 families inoculated with the vector Myzus persicae, about half of the species in 13 families were infected with some of these viruses. BLYV shared a similar host range to Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV). These had a much more limited host range than BWYV‐JP, which resembled BWYV‐USA. The host range of BrYV was similar to that of Turnip yellows virus (TuYV). Phylogenetic analyses at the 5′ portion (replication‐related gene) of the genome showed that BLYV, BMYV, BWYV (‐JP and ‐USA) and Cucurbit aphid‐borne yellows virus (CABYV) formed one large group, whereas BrYV and TuYV were grouped together. BLYV and BWYV were most closely related to each other, and were more closely related to CABYV than to BMYV. However, at the 3′ end (coat protein gene), BLYV and BWYV‐JP formed a distinct group, separated from the BrYV group, which in turn was more closely related to BWYV‐USA, BMYV, TuYV and Beet chlorosis virus, a group originating from outside Asia. Thus, this study presents host range differences and phylogeographical relationships of BWYV‐like poleroviruses that are distributed worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]