"By what power, or by what name" - Results of Lost 20 Years of Japan

Cherry Blossoms in Shrine near Tokyo

Cherry Blossoms and Skating Girl

Results of Lost 20 Years of Japan

In 1990s, it was said that Japan was in the lost decade.  Every journalist and economist in Europe and the US laughed at Japan, while Japan was busy investing in China and other Asian countries.

Then, the US was hit by Islamic terrorists, while Japan was respected by China and other Asian countries.

In 2000s, it was said that Japan was in the decade of deflation.  Every journalist and economist in Europe and the US laughed at Japan, while Japan was busy investing in China and other Asian countries.

Then the US triggered the Global Financial Crisis and the EU started to suffer the Euro Crisis.

As of the end of FY 2010, the balance sheet of the Japanese Government was as follows:

Financial Assets of the Japanese Gov....494 trillion yen ($6 tr.)
Fixed Assets, etc of the Japanese Gov....579 trillion yen ($7 tr.)


Total Assets of the Japanese Gov....1073 trillion yen ($13 tr.)
------------------------------------------------


Total Debts of Local/Central Gov. of Japan...1037 trillion yen ($12.6 tr.)
------------------------------------------------

That is why the government bonds the Japanese Gov. has issued are traded well with lower interest rate.  Also, the yen is evaluated high.

What is more, Japan is the nation having the largest amount of funds surplus in the world.

#...Country....Domestic Funds Surplus
---------------------------------
1. JAPAN.........$3.1 trillion
2. China.......$2 tr
3. Germany......$1.4 tr.
4. Switzerland.....$780 billion
5. Hong Kong.....$689 bn.
6. Russia......$133 bn.
7. Canada.....-$261 bn.
8. UK.....-$299 bn.
9. Italy....-$352 bn.
10. France......-$363 bn.
11. US.....-$3.1 tr.

The above data mean that the Japanese economy has still large capability to lend money to the Government through buying government bonds, etc., though the ratio of government debts over GDP in Japan is larger than that of Greece.

So, it was clearly stupid to think in 1990s and 2000s that Japan was about to go bankrupt like GM in 2009 while diligent and honest Japanese were working as hard as possible like in 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, and so on.  But it was what journalists and economists in Europe and the US thought.

So, if you are Europeans and Americans, I recommend you not to trust them as they are clearly foolish without ability to learn Japan and understand Japan.

If you are neither Europeans nor Americans, I recommend you to trust Japanese as they have been working as hard as possible in the erroneously-called lost decades of 1990s and 2000s like in 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, and so on


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For comparison, let's check the balance sheet of the US Government as of 2010:


Total Assets of the US Government: $2.884 trillion  


Total Debts of the US Government: $13.473 trillion

So, the US Government has debts 5 times larger than its assets.

For the international accounts of the US:


External Assets of the US...$11.1724 trillion


External Debts of the US....$15.1383 trillion


Net Foreign Debts of the U.S....$3.9659 trillion

Also, let's check how many debts non-financial businesses of the US have:

Non-Financial Business' Debts of the US...$18.6749 trillion

There are also mysterious debts in the US those who  are suffering with are unknown:

Debts Whose Borrowers are Unknown in the US....$6.2 trillion

So, it is not simple like in Japan: the state of debts in the US.

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Now cherry blossoms are fully blooming around Tokyo.

Many Japanese go out for watching, enjoying, and holding a Japanese-style of party under cherry trees.  Cherry blossoms or trees are called sakura in Japanese as opening up of a flower is called saku in Japanese.

Refer to http://eereporter.blogspot.jp/2010/04/blog-post.html for a story of "modern" sakura.

And, most of elementary, middle, and high schools have many sakura trees in their campus, since the school year in Japan begins in April.  And, there are some girls in Japan who have the skin which is as white or pale rose as a cherry blossom.  Or if a girl has the skin as white or pale rose as a cherry blossom, they might be blessed in a sense in Japan.

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Act 4:6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
Act 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Act 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Act 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

"before the throne there was a sea of glass" - Who is Responsible for Fukushima Daiichi

Sagami Bay where a Big Earthquake Occurred to Damage Tokyo a Century Ago

Who is Responsible for Fukushima Daiichi

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has been running its nuclear power plants, including the Fukushima Daiichi plant while the Japanese Government strictly regulates their operation subject to related laws and regulations.

However, people are discussing how much TEPCO should take responsibility.  If TEPCO could pay all the damages and compensation related to the Fukushima Daiichi accident, there are no problems.  But, roughly speaking 100,000 people have been directly affected by the nuclear accident and 100,000 people engaged in various sectors of industry have been indirectly affected, requesting full compensation.  If the amount of money to settle a claim by each person is 30 million yen ($370,000) on average, TEPCO needs 6 trillion yen ($73 billion).

Actually, the government officially estimates that the total compensation for Fukushima Daiichi victims will reach 4.5 trillion yen ($55 billion).  Though TEPCO has 15 trillion yen of total collective assets, including 1.9 trillion yen of liquidity assets, it has also huge debts and it will have to spend huge money to abolish crippled nuclear reactors, which will require trillion yen; accordingly it asks for financial aid from the Government: 1 trillion yen of capital infusion and 850 billion yen for compensation aid.  It is estimated that the government will supply about 3.5 trillion yen ($43 billion) for TEPCO eventually.

And now TEPCO is announcing an increase in power rates and the Government plans to increase the consumption tax rate.  Both the measures target consumers and taxpayers as the last resources of money.

In a democratic country like Japan, it is reasonable that the people who have sovereignty and who are beneficiaries should also take responsibility together with a power company and the government when a power company fails while running its business subject to government regulations.

The point at issue is that the Japanese people did not make the Government make TEPCO fully take preventive measures against such a nuclear accident.  TEPCO rather claims that the company is a victim of a catastrophic natural disaster, the combination of an M9.0 earthquake and 15-meter high tsunamis, that could occur only once in 1000 years.  TEPCO justifies itself, as if saying that the Fukushima Daiichi accident is an accident force majeure.  If so, it is responsibility for the people to force the Government to make TEPCO take preventive measures against a catastrophic natural disaster that could occur only once in 1000 years.  If the Japanese people had elected able politicians who then had become prime minister and related ministers to order TEPCO to get well prepared for a catastrophic natural disaster that could occur only once in 1000 years, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster could have been prevented.

Ultimately, it is not only TEPCO and the Japanese Government, including politicians and bureaucrats but also the Japanese voters that are responsible.  All the matters related to financial aspects should be considered in this light.  But the Japanese people especially including TEPCO executives and workers, creditors of TEPCO such as big banks, and users of electricity provided by TEPCO.  

As the Japanese people are clever, they will come to realize their responsibility.  So, the only serious matter left is how to collect money for Fukushima Daiichi compensation from all the Japanese people, mainly including TEPCO executives and workers, creditors of TEPCO such as big banks and stockholders, and users of electricity provided by TEPCO, without damaging the Japanese economy and the Government financial status. 

Put simply the Japanese people should have been more cleverer.  They are responsible for their lack of ability to foresee such a natural disaster coming at any time.  In other word, they were trying to do something beyond their ability while enjoying so much of electricity from nuclear power plants all over Japan.

But, this can apply to everybody in the world.  For example, the Americans were trying to do something beyond their ability while enjoying their superiority and business with Islamic nations before the 9/11 Terror and while enjoying too loose credit allowance before the 2008 Financial Crisis; Europeans were also trying to do something beyond their ability while enjoying the euro system before the 2011 Greek Financial Crisis.

Anyway, mankind should stop building new nuclear reactors at least till he acquires full ability to perfectly manage their operation.

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Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

"And Cain was very wroth" - Active Faults under Nuclear Power Plants

The Pacific Ocean Coast 60km from Tokyo

Active Faults under Nuclear Power Plants

It is well known some of Japanese nuclear power plants stand on active faults, a source of an earthquake.

Some 40 years ago, when Japan started in full swing to build nuclear power plants, it was thought that an active fault, part of ground showing discontinuity in its expansion, was a result of an earthquake but not a potential source of an earthquake.  Accordingly, utility makers and the Japanese Government did not take existence of an active fault seriously as a forbidding factor.  They did not mind choosing a lot with or close to an active fault for a construction site of a nuclear power plant.

However, when seismology advanced, it became clear that an active fault was a very visible source of an earthquake and thus building a nuclear power plant near an active fault was so dangerous.  But, the utility companies, such as Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese Government did not yet to take particular note of the danger.  They supported scientists who judged and reported that the scales of active faults close to nuclear power plants were shorter or smaller than other scientists claimed.  They even reportedly put pressure on scientists who gave a warning to the danger of building a nuclear plant in an area close to an active fault.

So, the most threatening nuclear power plant to Tokyo, the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, is close to an active fault.  TEPCO's largest nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan, the Kashiwazaki-Kariya, is close to some active faults.  The Ohi Nuclear Power Plant, 90km north of Kyoto City, is situated in an area full of active faults.  Even the Fukushima Daiichi has an active fault 50km southwest which is not however the source of the 3/11 Great Tsunami..

Though many experts associated with electricity companies and the Japanese Government assure that those nuclear power plants can withstand any reasonably expected earthquake to be caused by those active faults, now a majority of the Japanese people doubt their word.  After the Fukshima Daiichi accident which was triggered by an M9.0 earthquake in the North Pacific Ocean, operation of those nuclear power plants have become so difficult.  Consequently, nuclear power plant operators cannot now restart operation of their plants after periodic inspections and halt of the plants in which they were put in 2011.  In this way, now only one nuclear power plant among more than 50 is in operation in Japan.

The Japanese Government is now studying whether those halted nuclear power plants should be allowed to resume their operation based on results of the so-called stress test.  However, the proactive measures taken in each power station do not look sufficient.  They have not fully introduced anti-seismic structure to building in the plants.  They have not prepared a sufficient number of emergency workers who can work in environment with higher doses if an earthquake caused damage on a nuclear reactor.  Their breakwaters have a height that can only narrowly withstand the expected maximum heights of the worst case of tsunamis.  

The electric power suppliers and the Japanese Government still look like having the same mind set as they had when they suppressed and obstructed scientists who gave a warning to danger of nuclear power plants standing in an area featuring active faults.

But why?  Probably they put a higher priority on fighting those who try to attack the establishment, namely the big companies and the government, for any reasons, including a nuclear policy.  If the establishment admits their fault in planning and building nuclear power plants in these decades, they must think, they would lose face and grounds to keep the upper hand of their opponents.  So, this selfish interest of the elite group is endangering Japan in terms of nuclear safety so ridiculously.

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Gen 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Gen 4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
Gen 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Gen 4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Gen 4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Gen 4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

"Man shall not live by bread alone" - Science & Technology

The Pacific Ocean Viewed from Japan

Science & Technology

The rapid progress of science and technology can be dangerous to the whole mankind as everybody feels.

A new technology might enable a terrorist to destroy all the Internet connections over the world.

A new technology might enable a terrorist to build a nuclear bomb in a humble house at a remote corner of the world or in a humble room at a corner of a big city.

A new science might enable a terrorist to invent a new type of bacterial pathogens that could make billions of people fall fatally ill in a very short period of time.

A new science might create a monster with any size or shape that could replace mankind as the sole ruler of the earth.

But there is a chance that mankind can compete with this horrible possibility.  For example, when the US was terribly damaged more psychologically than materially by the 9/11 Terror and the 2008 Financial Crisis, they elected an African American to the US president in order to conquer such damage.  Yet, it will be very difficult for the mankind to recover from such a possible crisis if it should happen.

Above science and technology, there must be strong control by religion or faith in God.  Otherwise, godless people would try to pursue such a technology and a science for money.  Even today, there is a great number of people would dare do anything to get a fortune.

And, Fukushima Daiichi might suggest such a possibility.



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Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

"and departed again into Galilee" - Fukushima Children

Sagami Bay, once a big earthquake occurred to hit Tokyo 

Fukushima Children

An 8-year old school girl wrote to a newspaper, asking for help.

She lives in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, 70 km west of Fukushima Daiichi.  But, her parents would not allow her to play out of the house.  She was requested to wear a mask and a long-sleeved cardigan even in the last summer in her house.  Indeed it was over 1 uSv/hour in the city for months after March 11, 2011.  Nowadays the radiation doses in the city get under 1 uSv/h, though it is 0.05 uSv/h or so in Tokyo.

If a child lives in an environment receiving 1 uSv/hour doses everyday, he or she will receive about 10 mSv doses per year, which is an allowable limit for an ordinary adult.  If an adult receives 100 mSv/year, data tells he or she will surely experience a health problem.  The Koriyama City office admits that there is an area in the city where the accumulated doses have become 20 mSv per year.　So, it is natural that parents of children in Fukushima City take very strong precautions.

But, it is a big mistake that the Japanese Government does not move children living in areas receiving 10 mSv per year doses to other safer places.   It might cost much to move tens of thousands of school children to safer areas, possibly, with their parents who have jobs where they live now.  But, it is crazy to force an 8-year old girl to stay in the house while wearing a mask even in a hot summer day with the wonderful blue sky and amusing white clouds outside.

Yet, a more crazy thing was reported.  Last June an elementary school in Koriyama City set and piled about 500 PET bottles with water inside around its school buildings in order to reduce radiation levels they received.

This barrier of plastic bottles with water, however, worked well.  The dose levels decreased as below:

Before introducing the barrier:
In a Class Room
Near windows: 0.31 uSv/h
At the Center: 0.17 uSv/h
Near the Corridor: 0.13 uSv/h

After introducing the barrier:
In a Class Room:
Near windows: 0.12 uSv/h
At the Center: 0.09 uSv/h
Near the Corridor: 0.10 uSv/h

So, the average doses from radioactive material discharged from the Fukushuma Daiichi nuclear power plant some 70km east of the school dropped from 0.20 uSv/h to 0.10 uSv/h.

http://www.monipo.net/blog/area/koriyama-110609/

Anyway, it is crazy to force children to learn in schools whose buildings are protected by PET bottles with water from the radiation-contaminated environment.

Even for this reason, the incumbent ruling party DPJ should take responsibility and step down from the power, though a change of prime minister was carried out in last August.


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Joh 4:1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Joh 4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
Joh 4:3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
Joh 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
Joh 4:5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Joh 4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

"Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness" - Golden Legend

Sagami Bay Southwest of Tokyo

On the Pacific Ocean

Golden Legend

It is interesting to know that vast diffusion of various Christian stories in Europe started almost at the same time when Columbus discovered America, since printing technology was invented around 1450s.

The Golden Legend (Latin: Legenda aurea or Legenda sanctorum) is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that became a late medieval bestseller. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived, compared to twenty or so of its nearest rivals.[1] It was likely compiled around the year 1260, although the text was added to over the centuries... 

A medieval bestseller 

Initially entitled Legenda sanctorum (Readings of the Saints), it gained its popularity under the title by which it is best known. It overtook and eclipsed earlier compilations of abridged legendaria, the Abbreviatio in gestis et miraculis sanctorum attributed to the Dominican chronicler Jean de Mailly and the Epilogus in gestis sanctorum of the Dominican preacher Bartholomew of Trent. Over eight hundred[3] manuscript copies of the work survive, and when printing was invented in the 1450s, editions appeared quickly, not only in Latin, but also in every major European language. Among incunabula, printed before 1500, Legenda aurea was printed in more editions than the Bible.[4] It was one of the first books William Caxton printed in the English language; Caxton's version appeared in 1483 and his translation was reprinted, reaching a ninth edition in 1527.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Legend

So, as Europeans started to deploy themselves in America, Christian stories started to prevail in Europe with a large-scale publication of the Golden Legend.

In other word, Christian influences on Europeans and Americans we today observe can be ascribed to the Golden Legend.  Christians in these 500 years might be very different from those having lived between AD 1 to 1500.

In my feeling, we had better check the book to see critical features of Christianity in these 500 years.

54// HERE BEGINNETH THE RESURRECTION 

Heretofore we have made mention of deviation of the human lineage, which dureth from Septuagesima unto Easter. Hereafter we shall make mention of the time of reconciliation. The resurrection of our Lord Jesu Christ was the third day after his death. And of this blessed resurrection seven things be to be considered. First, of the time that he was in the sepulchre, that be three days and three nights he was in the sepulchre, and the third day he arose. Secondly, wherefore he arose not anon when he was dead, but abode unto the third day. Thirdly, how he arose. Fourthly, wherefore his resurrection tarried not until the general resurrection. Fifthly, wherefore he arose. Sixthly, how ofttimes he appeared in his resurrection. And the seventh, how the holy fathers which were enclosed in a part of hell he delivered, and what he did, etc.

http://www.aug.edu/augusta/iconography/goldenLegend/resurrection.htm

Indeed, there is nothing special that can lead people to understanding what universe is, what mankind is, what good and evil are, what Christ is, what spirits are, and what God is, through the very critical moment in the life or the story of Christ Jesus.

It is not encouraging people to pursue truth of the world and God.

So, 500 years after the release of the Golden Legend, it might be natural that Christianity has lost power in comparison with money and the market economy.


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Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.