A Water Flow Changed this Week
(une semaine avec de l'eau s'ecoule change)
Ordinary people seek their own happiness.
But, some have aspiration to contribute to happiness of others.
In ancient China, according to a theory of a Japanese scholar, there were only two major professions: farmers and public officials.
Farmers were not expected to learn to read and write; but public officials were.
Accordingly, those with higher aspiration in ancient China had to learn to read and write as well as study traditions and classic books. They had to acquire knowledge to serve a king as public officials.
But, knowledge alone did not make them leaders of people who could contribute to happiness of them.
They had to shape and enhance their personality. They had to grow up as persons of virtue.
When they reached a certain level of mastery of controlling their minds and behaviors in addition to knowledge, they were admitted to be a master each.
When they could not reach a certain level of mastery of controlling their minds and behaviors in addition to knowledge, they were despised as a small-minded person each.
Indeed, when society consisted of a king, public officials, and farmers, it was so simple.
But, even today, the theory is true: people want only their own happiness and a master wants to contribute to happiness of people.
The bottom line problem is that there are only a few masters in Japan, very few masters in America, and simply few in China.
That is why Japan can change the prime minister, ministers, and parliament members so often. Indeed, the longer a small-minded man is in a leading position, the more society is harmed.
Be a master if you are a politician.
SECTION I: US-CHINA
America is the largest importer from China; but Japan is the largest exporter to China.
(Click to enlarge.)In 2000, America exported to China goods worth $16.3 billion.
In 2008, America exported to China goods worth $69.7 billion.
Before 2001 9/11 Terror to before 2008 Financial Crisis, America expanded its export to China about 4.3 times more.
In 2000, America imported from China goods worth $100.0 billion.
In 2008, America imported from China goods worth $337.8 billion.
Before 2001 9/11 Terror to before 2008 Financial Crisis, America expanded its import from China about 3.4 times more.
In this period, America increased its export to China more than its import from China, relatively speaking against the base year of 2000.
And, at the peak of import from China, namely in 2008, Chinese goods and services in America increased by an amount of $238 billion from the symbolic year of 2000.
Yet, before September 2008 when the Lehman Shock occurred, the unemployment rate in America was less than 5% with this huge influx of goods and services imported from China.
Viewed from other aspect, the current unemployment rate of more than 9% in America is not a direct effect of the huge import from China but of the Financial Crisis.
Yet, as the Financial Crisis was inevitable to bring back American economy and society back into normalcy or reasonably sustainable state from the financially inflated state which cannot be eventually sustained.
So then, the current state of the higher unemployment is correctly associated with the huge import from China.
Without the financial boom such as the one observed in the sub-prime loan mortgage market before 2008, the huge import from China surely causes the higher unemployment in America, as we see today.
Only a tremendous financial boom such as the one observed in the sub-prime loan mortgage market before 2008 can cover or counterbalance the effect of the huge import from China.
In this context, it is very interesting that President Mr. Barack Obama elected with the campaign slogan of "Yes We Can Change" in 2008 has lost the Midterm Election facing the catchword "China Bashing" in 2010.
The false financial boom ended in 2008 without saving poor Americans, and the real effect of the huge import from China has emerged in 2010 making more Americans poor.
In this context, American consumers and voters have changed to bash China as the false financial boom already collapsed by itself.
Anyway, check the following pdf file prepared by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission of the U.S. Government.
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After three decades of growth averaging nearly 10 percent a year, China passed Japan in the first half of 2010 to become the world's second-largest economy, after the United States.1 Although the gap between China’s $5 trillion economy and the nearly $15 trillion economy of the United States remains very large, China's advancement is remarkable for a country whose gross domestic product (GDP) was just half as much five years ago. China's per capita income has increased from $930 in 2000 to $3,600 in 2009.2 China is America’s biggest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region and its second-largest trading partner overall, after Canada.3
http://wakeupwalmart.com/facts/wmtchinareport.pdf
http://www.uscc.gov/annual_report/2010/10report_chapters.php
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SECTION II: JAPAN-CHINA
America is the largest importer from China; but Japan is the largest exporter to China. In addition, Japan is the second largest importer from China.
(Click to enlarge.)In 2000, Japan exported to China goods/services worth $30.4 billion.
In 2008, Japan exported to China goods/services worth $124 billion.
Before 2001 9/11 Terror to before 2008 Financial Crisis, Japan expanded its export to China about 4.1 times more.
In 2000, Japan imported from China goods/services worth $55.3 billion.
In 2008, Japan imported from China goods/services worth $142.3 billion.
Before 2001 9/11 Terror to before 2008 Financial Crisis, Japan expanded its import from China about 2.6 times more.
In this period, Japan increased its export to China more than its import from China, relatively speaking against the base year of 2000.
As with America's trade with China, Japan always shows trade deficits with China.
America imports from China 2.3 times more than Japan imports from China, which is almost proportional to the ratio of the American population over Japan's, remarkably.
In 2008, China's sales in total to Japan and the U.S. reached $480 billion, which is huge.
As Japan was not in a huge financial boom between 2000 and 2008 like America, Japan could not cover or counterbalance the effect of the huge import from China. But, it led to deflation.
Japan could keep the unemployment rate around 5%, unlike America of today. But, Japan has to further suffer deflation in 2000's as it had to in 1990's.
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Oysters were almost destined to extinction in France 40 years ago.
But, young shells of oysters were imported from Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, to successfully grow and prevail.
Today, there are two types of oysters in France: round and flat oysters and scaphoid or boat-shaped oysters. The latter account for 98% of production of this type of marine foods in France today. Yet, the scaphoid or boat-shaped oysters are all descendants of the Miyagi oysters from Japan.
Therefore, oysters you enjoy in Paris are originally from Japan at a chance of 98%.
Of course, oysters you import from France are originally from Japan at a chance of 98%.
Japan has more authentic traditions of maritime people than the Han Chinese, though the Japanese language is part of the northern Asian language group.
That is why the Senkaku Islands belong to Okinawa people from thousands years ago. And, Okinawa people are ethnically part of the Japanese without doubt. Indeed, it is unthinkable that Chinese fishermen hundreds years ago sailed 400 kilometers from their village on the continent to the Senkaku Islands to compete in fishing there with Okinawa people who just had to sail 100 km off their main routine sea-route to get there.
Incidentally, the relationships between some Japanese people and marine wildlife have a long history. Some Japanese have hunted whales, including a small type, since centuries ago.
So, whenever you eat an oyster (une huître) in France with wine and bread, remember that Japanese are different from Westerners and Chinese in terms of maritime culture.
Personally, I am a little cautious myself in taking any shellfish. Ah, it might be time to have a good time on the shore...
Deu 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
Deu 11:17 And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
Deu 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
Deu 11:19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.