DISTRICTS’ SYMPOSIA
The Tokai district (Shizuoka, Mie, Aichi and Gifu Prefectures) co-organized a symposium entitled “Thinking of industrial waste problems – Evidence available in the Tokai district” on November 11 in Yokka-ichi City, Mie Prefecture. On the same day, the 23rd Chugoku district (Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shimane and Tottori Prefectures) held a symposium at Hiroshima University in Higashi-Hiroshima City, where they discussed six topics: (1) the ongoing structural reform and neo-liberalism, (2) how to abolish differentials – a view from the losers’ side, (3) thinking of conspiracy crime and the coming society being under close surveillance, (4) thinking of mal-revision of the Fundamental Law of Education and neo-liberalism, and (5) peace construction in East Asia, respectively.
On the other hand, the Shikoku district (Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi and Tokushima Prefecture) organized a symposium entitled “Interrelationship between local university and regional activation” on November 25 in Kochi City. On the same day, the Kyushu district (Fukuoka, Oita, Miyazaki, Okinawa, Kumamoto and Nagasaki Prefectures) held a symposium on the theme “The 21st university management and local government” in Oita City, where they discussed (1) university corporative system, and university management and education, (2) town-village merging and thereafter (whether synergetic or not), (3) huge shopping mall construction and town management for its development, and (4) gigantic discrepancy between landfill development and town management, respectively.
LOCAL ACTIVITIES IN NOVEMBER
1. HYOGO BRANCH
The branch organized a regular meeting on November 1 in Kobe City, where Prof. Tomono (Hyogo Pref. Univ.) who had returned from his one-year study abroad in Denmark, gave a lecture on the contemporary Danish medical care, welfare and education, which was followed by many discussions in comparison with those in Japan.
2. KYOTO BRANCH
1) The individual members made an on-spot investigation on November 1, where they visited a winery factory and Dr. Ishikawa’s firm (Dr. Ishikawa has managed his firm after retiring from Kyoto Prefectural University).
2) On November 10, the research committee for co-evolution economics held a regular meeting in Kyoto City, where Prof. Kuno (Kyoto Univ.) gave a lecture on the title “A warning to the bio-energy boom – Wide and long-range discussions basing on social science”.
3) The individual members lodged together and organized a study meeting on November 18 and 19 at the Yuno-hana spa in Kameoka City, where they exchanged their views on (1) contemporary China, (2) recent electric power (demand and supply), (3) history of the student spirit, (4) holocaust, and (5) discussion of Pluto, respectively.
3. OSAKA BRANCH
1) The study group Hegel’s ‘The Great Logic’ held a meeting on November 4 at St. Andrews University’s Osaka City satellite office in Osaka City, where Prof. Makino (Hannan Univ.) discussed “Ideology” in the part 3 of the 3rd volume.
2) The study group Energy problems held a meeting on November 18, where Dr. Hiroshige (Osaka branch) discussed environmental ethics and philosophy on the basis of the text “Introduction to Environmental Ethics”.
4. TOKYO BRANCH
1) The 21st Machida science forum was held on November 8 in Machida City, where Dr. Chiba (Tokyo branch) gave a seminar on the reformation of Japanese agricultural politics viewing the present Japanese foodstuffs and agriculture. He especially touched upon the draft entitled “Declaration of full sovereignty over foodstuffs” published by the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA).
2) The 21st Hachi-oji science forum was also organized on November 9 in Hachi-oji City, where Dr. Hashimoto (Takao chapter) gave a talk on environmental destruction (falls of the ruins of the Hachi-oji castle had dried up) due to the construction of the Metropolitan orbital super high way.
3) On November 12, the individual members enjoyed an autumn field work, where they visited the Kokuryo Museum after attending the 6th national exchange gathering “Museum network for peace”, which was followed by a get-together meeting at a Korean restaurant.
4) The 3rd Chofu science colloquium was organized at the University of Electro-Communication on November 24, where Dr. Hoshino (Tokyo branch) gave a seminar on the flow wave oscillation mechanism in cylindrical structure, which was followed by an enthusiastic discussion.
5. OKINAWA BRANCH
An emergency study meeting entitled “How university education changes when the Fundamental Law of Education was adversely revised” was held on November 9 at Ryukyu University, where Prof. Tokuda (Ryukyu Univ.) gave a seminar on the adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education, which was on the basis of an administrative law.
6. FUKUOKA BRANCH
The branch organized a reading meeting of November edition of Nihon-no-Kagakusha (The Journal of Japanese Scientists) on November 13 at Kyushu University, where they discussed the topic “Religion and contemporary science”.
7. MIYAGI BRANCH
1) The branch has organized a seminar for citizens on the title “Sense-of-relief habitation and comfortable town management for the aged.” On November 16 in Sendai City, the 7th one was held, where Dr. Takami (Miyagi branch) lectured on the topic “The present and future of the handicapped after legislating the law for supporting handicapped people’s self-sustenance”, which was followed by a view-exchange meeting.
2) The 3rd branch seminar on November 18 in Sendai City was organized as a pre-symposium for the 16th CSSC (comprehensive scientific study convention) to be held in Tokyo, where they discussed three topics: (1) co-existence with nature – discussion of the concept regarding to sustainable development, (2) public works and their mutual agreement, and (3) the branch activity – its past, present and future, respectively.
8. KANAGAWA BRANCH
The branch co-held the 4th forum of Article 9 Kanagawa on November 23 at Tsurumi University in Yokohama City, where Prof. Maruyama (Kanto-gakuin Univ.) gave a lecture on journalism and the Constitution, which was on the basis of his recently published book entitled “Ought the press to be allowed to abandon the Constitution of Japan?”
DON’T REVISE THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF EDUCATION
The bill for adversely revising the Fundamental Law of Education was forcedly railroaded through in the Lower House on November 16 and immediately sent to the Upper House, which was based upon the ruling parties’ argument that just a short period of time was enough for discussion the bill on the grounds that the bill had already been discussed in the previous Diet session. However, there are many questions to be discussed and solved, e.g. (1) the bill violates the Constitution by forcing students to show patriotism and by enabling the state to interfere with education content without restrictions, (2) the Abe cabinet’s education rebuilding plan that brings about discriminatory treatment of public school by allocating budgets in accordance with a ranking of students’ academic levels, (3) a court decision that compulsion of Hinomaru (so-called national flag) and Kimigayo (so-called national anthem) is unconstitutional (violation of Art. 19 of the Constitution and Art. 10 of the Fundamental Law of Education), and (4) widespread bullying issues at schools which become a major social problem (fiercer competition among students with the revision of the Fundamental Law of Education would harm students emotionally and increase case of bullying). Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to thoroughly discuss educational questions including the above in the Diet session, but the bill must basically be scrapped at any rate, be the content what it may. (S. YUASA)