＜DISTRICT SYMPOSIUM＞
The Kyushu district (Fukuoka, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Nagasaki and Saga branch) and Okinawa branch organized the 25th Kyushu-Okinawa symposium on the themes “(1) Destruction of the infrastructure for life preservation in local community ? Thinking of citizens’ security, and (2) Indictment basing on scientific literacy ? Thinking of university autonomy” on December 8 and 9 in Naha City, Okinawa.
In the former session (1), Prof. Kora (Ryukyu Univ.) gave a keynote lecture on the title “Do we realize global militarization or global peace? Thinking of a solution in terms of the rights of peaceful existence”, which was followed by reports on food security, Okinawan military bases, town developmental problems in Kumamoto City, and new Okinawan development basing on reforming the Japan-US security treaty, respectively. In the latter one (2), Prof. Yagasaki (Ryukyu Univ.) made a special report on the title “Scientific workers’ social responsibility ? Thinking of the ethics of science. He touched upon the worst anti-scientific evidence of the A-bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the 20th century, and criticized the system DS86 for estimating a radiation dosage resulted from the A-bombing, by which each A-bomb victim has administratively been discriminated by reason of the A-bombed distance from the hypocenter. In a plenary session, there were many discussions and comments.
LOCAL ACTIVITIES IN DECEMBER (2005) AND JANUARY (2006)
1. KAGOSHIMA BRANCH
The branch organized a study meeting entitled “Thinking of the anti-terrorism special bill” on November 22 at Kagoshima University, Kagoshima City, where Prof. Kimura (Kagoshima Univ.) criticized the above bill discussing in the present Diet.
2. TOKYO BRANCH
1) The 14th Tokyo science symposium entitled “Towards establishing peaceful and fair society” was held on December 1 and 2 at Hitotsu-bashi University, where made were two special talks: (1) Fukuda cabinet and Japan’s tomorrow (Prof. Igarashi, Hosei Univ.), and (2) reformation of the Japan-US alliance and the US’s world strategy (Mr. Niihara, Tokyo branch), which was followed by many presentations and displays.
2) The Machida science forum was organized on December 12 in Machida City, where they discussed (1) global warming, (2) environmental pollution and (3) natural energy, respectively.
3) The Hachi-oji science forum was also organized on December 13 in Hachi-oji City, where they exchanged their views for the coming year, which was followed by a get-together meeting.
4) On December 23, the individual members of the branch visited a famous park “Rikugi-en” in Tokyo that had been constructed by Mr. Yanagisawa (an entourage of the 5th Shogun, Tsunayoshi Tokugawa) in 1702. In the park they enjoyed the six spectacular sights arranged on the basis of “six forms” described in “Kokin-waka-shu [an anthology of poems collected by Imperial command (Emperor Daigo), edited in 903].
3. OSAKA BRANCH
1) The study group Hegel’s ‘The Great Logic’ held a meeting on December 1 at Hannan University satellite in Osaka City, where they discussed the text book “The Logical Lecture (1831)”. Dr. Ito (Osaka branch) presented his research report on the title “What is the god for Hegel?”
2) The Kansai-area’s colloquium for scientific workers in private enterprises was organized on December 2, where Dr. Yutani (Osaka branch) gave a seminar on the innocent person suffered from the A-bombing in Hiroshima.
4. HYOGO BRANCH
The branch organized a meeting to think of the future food on December 1 in Kobe City, where Prof. Ono (Kobe Univ.) gave a seminar on the title “The present Japanese food and agriculture, and Japanese policy for food and agriculture”, which was followed by enthusiastic discussion.
5. FUKUOKA BRANCH
On December 2 in Fukuoka City, the branch organized a research exchange meeting for young researchers, where they discussed (1) ex-US president Johnson’s combat against poverty, and (2) effective heat-conductivity of a absorbent-packed medium, which was followed by a get-together meeting.
6. HOKKAIDO BRANCH
The branch held the Hokkaido comprehensive scientific study convention as the 2007-Hokkaido science symposium on December 2 at Hokkaido University. They firstly discussed the safety measure of nuclear power plant, especially on the utilization of plutonium and the effect of earthquake on a plant, which was followed by exchanging their views on (1) PCB pollution, (2) dam problems, (3) biomass in Hokkaido, (4) the 4th IPCC report and forest management, and (5) forest power for absorbing some materials caused global warming, respectively.
7. ISHIKAWA BRANCH
The branch organized a study meeting for nuclear power plant and earthquake on December 8 and 9, and invited Prof. Tateishi (Niigata Univ.) to receive a lecture on the above contents. On the first day, the participants gathered in Naka-noto Cho located in Noto peninsula (Noto peninsula quake was on March 25), the North of Ishikawa Prefecture, where they made an on-the-spot investigation in the Ohchi-gata fault zone, and studied the fundamentals of earthquake. The session on the second day was held in Kanazawa City, where Prof. Tateishi gave a lecture on the title “Nuclear power plant and great earthquake ? a lesson from the earthquake (July 16) off the coast of Niigata Prefecture”.
8. IBARAKI BRANCH
All kinds of flat panel displays (FPD) such as LCD, PDP, Organic EL, Electronic Paper and Touch Panel Display gather great attention from the industry to a large number of panel users. The branch held a visiting tour to Science Square in Tsukuba, where the above are shown in detail. Afterwards, Dr. Yase (Ibaraki branch) gave a seminar on the title “Development of FPD manufacturing technology and its survival strategy in Japan”, which was followed by the branch’s council meeting.
JAPAN’S ASIAN DIPLOMACY MUST BE BASED ON “ASIAN SYNERGY” CONSTRUCTION
Premier Fukuda, after assuming his office, met the US President Bush on November 16, promising his strong assistance to the US administration. On November 20 and 21, he also met his counterparts from China and Korea in Singapore to exchange the Asian diplomatic issues. However, Premier Fukuda’s diplomacy is being put to the test whether it can live up to the expectations of Asian nations while simultaneously pursuing a strengthened relation of the Japan-US alliance, military as well as socio-economic. The Asian nations might welcome Fukuda’s diplomatic stance because he has made clear that he will not adopt the pro-Yasukuni policy line that he will not visit Yasukuni Shrine, which seems to be externally different from ex-premiers Koizumi and Abe. This is important to construct the future diplomatic relation among all the Asian nations. More than 70 years ago, Japan invaded Asian countries and killed as many as 20 million people. Therefore Japan’s diplomacy must begin with the governmental acknowledgement of this historical fact and the offer of a sincere apology. It must be understood that justifying the war of aggression can never be compatible with peaceful diplomacy in Asia. Not only Asian nations but also other nations might voice their concern if Premier Fukuda lacks a clear reflection on the war regardless of his stance towards Yasukuni Shrine. Premier Fukuda must clearly state his remorse over the war of aggression. During his trips to the US and Singapore, he repeatedly stated that he is seeking synergy between the Japan-US alliance and Asian policy, although he has not made clear the concrete contents of his own Asian diplomacy. If he tries to impose on Asian a diplomacy relying on the military of the Japan-US alliance, it will without doubt give rise to further contradictions instead of peaceful synergy. It is quite important for Japan to value Asian nations’ efforts to build a peaceful Asia through their own initiatives. Being an Asian nation, Japan must politically and diplomatically play an important role as a member of Asia. Japan enacted the war-renouncing constitution based on remorse over its war of aggression. The move of Asian nations aimed at the establishment of the community for peace in line with the wishes enshrined in the Constitution of Japan. A policy of cooperating with other Asian nations to establish peace by making use of the Constitution of Japan is a vitally important task in Japan’s future diplomacy. (S. YUASA)