Japanese International Research Articles

Injury Characteristics Among Japanese International Athletes: Report on the Pre-competition Medical Check-Up Data of the Japanese Olympic Committee

Injury Characteristics Among Japanese International Athletes: Report on the Pre-competition Medical Check-Up Data of the Japanese Olympic Committee

재일조선인의 대규모 북한 이주와 촉진 요인: 북한·조총련의 선전과 일본 내의 호응을 중심으로

After the end of the World War II, almost 1.4 million Koreans lived in Japan went back to Korea but there still were around 600 thousands ethnic Koreans living in Japan. From December 1959 to July 1984, about 93,000 Korean (including Japanese wives) repatriated to North Korea, while most of them originally came from southern part of South Korea. Studies of the ethnic Korean repatriation from Japan emphasize that economic, political and diplomatic benefits motivated North Korea to decide the repatriation, and underline active roles of the Japanese government, the Japanese Red Cross Society and International Committee of the Red Cross. Including these factors, propaganda of North Korean government and promotion by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon ) made ethnic Koreans in Japan decide to immigrate to North Korea. In addition, Japanese political parties, politicians, intellectuals, and mass media strongly affected ethnic Korean’s decision to repatriation to North Korea from Japan. This study explores contents of propaganda by North Korea and Chongryon , and news and images on North Korea delivered and created by Japanese politicians and media.

The Alteration of Flood Peak Discharge by Land Cover Change in Prek Thnot Watershed, Kampong Speu Provine, Cambodia

This study analyses the alterations of peak catchment runoff from Prek Thnot watershed using the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) methodology. Two major studies using different approaches have previously been conducted in the catchment, albeit producing inconsistent results. The Snowy Mountain Hydro-electric Authority published the first study in 1967 and found that the peak surface flow runoff over a 10-year return period was 710 m3/s. The second study was conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) between 1991 and 2006 and reported a peak catchment discharge of 1,380 m3/s. To date, there has been no discussion comparing the two studies to determine why the discharge during the later study was double that of the first. As the annual rainfall during the two study periods was similar, it is suggested that this discrepancy may be attributed to physical changes in the watershed, such as changes to forest cover. We deployed the Hydrologic Engineering Centre-Hydrologic Modeling System to simulate the peak runoff of the catchment. Our result was very similar to the JICA finding. Our data suggested that the increase in catchment discharge may be attributed to the conversion of 26% of forest cover in the catchment to agricultural land since the early 2000s. This information is useful for flood management practices, particularly with respect to managing catchment runoff in the context of rapid deforestation and the hydrological impacts of climate change within the watershed. The paper analyzes the impact of land-use changes on catchment runoff and provides valuable insights for flood management practices in the context of climate change and deforestation.

Reciprocity is Different: Experimental Evidence from a Trust Game Between Japanese Domestic and International Students

Reciprocity is Different: Experimental Evidence from a Trust Game Between Japanese Domestic and International Students

Recognition of Leading Factors that Affect the Outcome of Japanese International Student Athletes During the Adaptation Period at a US University: Qualitative Research on Students belonging to NCAA D1

Recognition of Leading Factors that Affect the Outcome of Japanese International Student Athletes During the Adaptation Period at a US University: Qualitative Research on Students belonging to NCAA D1

Japanese SME Internationalization in Halal Food Industry: A Preliminary Study

Recently, Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have faced a shrinking domestic market due to a declining population in Japan. In contrast, the global Muslim population has been drastically increasing, which is attractive to Japanese SMEs, especially food manufacturers. Despite the situation, there has been little empirical research on the internationalization of Japanese SMEs in the halal food industry. With this in mind, this study explores it by adopting an existing framework of SME internationalization. The main aims are to describe the process of how one Japanese small food manufacturer has entered a foreign Muslim market by starting and expanding its halal food business and to identify the role of international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) in this specific field. By analyzing this case, the findings show the following things. First, IEO is considered an important factor to lead to the internationalization of Japanese SMEs in the halal food industry because the president of the manufacturer actively collected information on the halal food business and built an appropriate organizational structure. Second, since the halal industry in Japan has obstacles to SME internationalization, Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) is an effective form of entry into foreign Muslim markets, which gave the president opportunities to collect market information and build a network in the market. Third, procurement innovation is imperative to receive foreign halal certification and break down a cultural barrier based on food habits since ingredients Japanese manufacturers procure possibly contain non-halal materials at the level of not only first-tier suppliers but second and third-tier suppliers.

Autologous Osteochondral Grafts Result in Improved Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Early Knee Osteoarthritis

PurposeTo determine whether autologous osteochondral grafts improve clinical outcomes in early knee osteoarthritis (EKOA) and whether the grafts prevent progression of radiographic joint degeneration.MethodsIn this study, we identified patients older than 40 years with EKOA having no traumatic events, with grade 0, 1, or 2 on the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification and more than grade 3 of cartilage degeneration according to the International Cartilage Repair Society scale. Recipient sites were as follows: 14 patellofemoral (PF3) joint, 18 medial femoral condyle (M1), and 6 lateral femoral condyle (L2). Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and International Knee Documentation (IKDC) subjective score (SUB) were examined as clinical outcomes.ResultsThe study included 31 knees in 31 patients who underwent autologous osteochondral grafts for EKOA and more than two years follow-up. The sample included 15 men and 16 women. The mean operative age was 56.0 years, and the mean follow-up period was 76 months (range, 24-170 months). In the preoperative period, JOA and SUB were 73.9 and 49.5, respectively. At follow-up, the JOA and SUB scores were 93.7 and 84.5, respectively. The differences were statistically significant. Progression of KL classification occurred in 0% of the PF3 group, 17% of the L2 group, and 33% of the M1 group. The outcomes of the M1 group significantly became worse (P = .0381) than those of the L2 and the PF3 groups, and the PF3 group significantly maintained good clinical outcomes (P = .0334).ConclusionAutologous osteochondral grafts for degenerated cartilage improved clinical outcomes of EKOA even if the recipient had cartilage degeneration, and not trauma. The PF3 group maintained significantly good clinical outcomes, and the M1 group became significantly worse.

Do You See What I See? ‘Religion’ and Acculturation in Filipino–Japanese International Families

Catholicism prides itself on being a ‘global religion’. However, just how this ‘religion’ is contextualized into a specific culture has led to intercultural and intergenerational problems. In Japan, the Filipino–Japanese struggle to fit into a society that sees, in their Catholic upbringing, ‘religious’ activity that it deems un-Japanese. The concept of ‘religion’ (shūkyō) in Japan has been largely associated with congregational activity, an aspect that neither Shinto nor Buddhism stress. As a result, the Japanese people label acts such as the purchasing of lucky charms, temple and shrine pilgrimages, visits to power spots, and performing birth or death rituals as ‘non-religious’ (mushūkyō). On the other hand, they label similar Christian acts as ‘religious’. Associating Christianity with ‘religion’ has had consequences for Japan’s Filipino residents and their international families. This paper considers the role the concept of ‘religion’ plays in the acculturation of Filipino–Japanese children into Japanese society. Through qualitative interviews of four Filipino–Japanese young adults, it delineates, in eight sections, how the discourse of ‘religion’ isolates Filipino mothers from their ‘non-religious’ children and husbands. This begins at adolescence and culminates with the children’s absence from the Roman Catholic Church of Japan.

What were the Differences between Japanese Safety Culture and International Practices?

What were the Differences between Japanese Safety Culture and International Practices?

Soil salinity mapping using remote sensing and GIS

The monitoring of soil salinity plays a vital role in agricultural society. Soil salinity causes land degradation processes, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, which influence soil properties, reduce yield production of crops, and affect infrastructure. This research produces soil salinity mapping of the East Delta in Egypt in 1995 using remote sensing technology. A Landsat 5 image taken on 26 September 1995 was used. Radiometric and atmospheric corrections for satellite data were applied. Different salinity indices (SIs) were used, such as the normalized difference salinity index, SI1, SI2, SI3, SI4, SI5, SI6, and SI7, in addition to the normalized difference vegetation index, which was used for data filtration. The field’s electrical conductivity was measured during the period from 22 to 26 September 1995 by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency. These data were used as ground truth for the correlation analysis with different indices image bands values. Simple linear regression and mean relative error were used to find the best index, which was SI5 with a 0.87 correlation with field truth data and mean relative error equal 22.7%. This index was used to produce a salinity map of the Eastern Delta with acceptable accuracy. Finally, it is concluded that using remote sensing in salinity detection and mapping is highly appreciated.

Social Enterprising in Japanese International Cooperation NPO

Social Enterprising in Japanese International Cooperation NPO

Larch Bark as a Formaldehyde Scavenger in Thermal Insulation Panels.

The aim of this study is to investigate the formaldehyde content and emissions of bark-based insulation panels bonded with three types of adhesives: urea formaldehyde, melamine urea-formaldehyde, and tannin-based adhesives. These panels were produced at two levels of density—300 and 500 kg/m3—and a thickness of 20 mm, and the influence of the adhesive amount and type on the formaldehyde emissions and content was measured. Other mechanical and physical properties such as modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, internal bond, and dimensional stability were also scrutinized. With one exception, all the panels belonged to the super E0 classification for free formaldehyde content (perforator value ≤1.5 mg/100 g oven dry mass of panels). The measurements using the desiccator method for formaldehyde emissions assigned all the testing specimens in the F **** category for low-emission panels according to the Japanese International Standards.

A Sociological Survey of Japanese International Relations Journals and University Education: Still a Discipline ‘In Between’?

AbstractThe Japanese discipline of international relations has been understood as a product of interaction with its Western other, formed and developed much like Japanese contested identity. But although much attention has been paid to how the discipline emerged and evolved, very little has been written about how the discipline looks now. To remedy that, we apply a sociology of knowledge perspective to find out whether the Japanese discipline of IR does still possess distinct qualities or whether there has been growing influence from its Euro-American counterpart. We proceed in two steps: (a) We analyze 175 articles from the Japanese language IR journals Kokusai seiji, Kokusai mondai, Kokusai anzen hoshō, Heiwa kenkyū, Ajia kenkyū, Revaiasan and Nenpō seijigaku, and dissect them according to topics, focus, author background and theories/methods used; (b) We conduct four case studies of IR education at Japanese universities to demonstrate how the discipline is taught, with a focus on lecturer background, experience and syllabus composition. Our findings suggest that although there remains a preoccupation with diplomatic history, loose methodology and either realist or atheoretical studies, there is a clear trend of convergence toward Euro-American standards, especially in university education.

Challenges to NGOs' ability to bid for funding due to the repatriation of volunteers: The case of Samoa.

Although there are an increasing number of funding facilities accessible for non-government organisations in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, critics suggest that it is still insufficient. Non-government organisations provide many essential services across the world, especially in the developing world, where they supplement or in some instances extend the government services. With services from health to gender issues to humanitarian support, non-government organisations continue to grapple with insufficiency of core and programming funding and unstable staffing. In Samoa, technical assistance through government volunteers supplemented the need for expert human resource and enabled the ability to apply for funding. With the mass repatriation of government volunteers such as Australian Volunteers, American Peace Corps and Japanese International Cooperation Agency, it resulted in a sudden and massive gap in technical human resource, equipped to apply for the rapidly expanding number of funding options. Through the experiences of a non-government organisation worker and an academic researcher based in Samoa, this piece shares the current experiences and potential repercussions of this sudden change in the non-government sector and suggestions moving forward to utilize the existing expertise in country in the academic sector to support non-government organizations to access funding.

Toward the Integration of Paratransit in Transportation Planning in African Cities

This research examines the history of transportation planning in African cities and how paratransit has been taken into account in the production of planning documents. On the rise since the 1980s, paratransit today is the most common motorized transportation mode in many African cities. The dominant approach among policymakers has been to limit paratransit, in some cases even to ban it. The question this research explores is how distrust of paratransit, and underappreciation of its intrinsic qualities, have been reflected in urban transportation plans. Having selected two cities—Cape Town, South Africa and Nairobi, Kenya—we conducted an in-depth analysis of planning documents at national and local levels. South Africa has a long tradition of transportation planning, with documentation available at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. In the 1990s, paratransit was a national-level concern. It gradually became a municipal issue with the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). In Kenya, planning has a shorter history. Development agencies (e.g., Japanese International Cooperation Agency [JICA]) have played a key role in recent planning processes and encourage the formalization of paratransit. However, planning documents contain no explicit references to “matatus.” In both cities, the focus in the documents is still mainly on developing infrastructure rather than improving mobility. While the role of paratransit is increasingly recognized, this trend is still more apparent in regulation than in planning.

Japanese International Medical Graduates and entrance into US clinical training: Challenges and methods to overcome them.

IntroductionEntering US clinical training requires completing requirements and navigating an application process differing from the Japanese system. Additionally, increases to the number of US medical school graduates have increased competition for US residency positions. We examined profiles of Japanese International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who completed US clinical training, the timelines to securing US clinical positions, and the greatest challenges during this process and methods to overcome them.MethodsIndividual semistructured interviews were conducted with 35 purposively sampled Japanese IMGs. We performed exploratory thematic analysis using iterative data collection and constant comparison.ResultsTwenty percent of participants lived in a native English‐speaking country during childhood. The United States Medical Licensing Examinations were completed at ages 25‐40 years. Challenges were categorized as: (1) English communication, (2) understanding the application process, (3) motivation to persevere through the process, (4) time management to complete Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates requirements, (5) receiving letters of recommendation and overcoming competition for US residency positions, (6) financial cost of the process. Pragmatic generally self‐dependent methods helped overcome challenges 1‐4 and 6. Participants detailed personal or, more commonly, institutional connections to US training programs required to overcome challenge 5.ConclusionsJapanese IMGs pursue US clinical training from diverse backgrounds commonly without the advantage of prior English fluency. Amidst increased competition internationally to enter US residency coupled with cultural and linguistic differences making this challenge often greater for Japanese IMGs, the competition to participate in institutionalized connections to US training programs is anticipated to increase.

Japanese International Medical Graduates and the United States clinical training experience: Challenges abroad and methods to overcome them.

IntroductionDue to the large language and cultural distances between Japan and the US compared to many countries, Japanese International Medical Graduates (IMGs) may have a different US training experience, including more stress, than many IMGs. We examined the US clinical training experience for Japanese IMGs, including the challenges encountered, how those challenges are overcome, and the benefits of US training.MethodsWe performed individual semistructured interviews with 35 purposively sampled Japanese IMGs who had completed US clinical training. Exploratory thematic analysis was conducted using iterative data collection and constant comparison.ResultsAll participants reported high personal growth and that US clinical training was worth the sacrifices. Commonly fatigue was lower than during Japanese residency. Participants explained medical practice and local culture associated challenges that aligned with literature on US graduates and other IMGs. By contrast, nearly all participants reported that English communication was very challenging, and described specific language related struggles and methods to help overcome them. Communication struggles were contextualized within an American training culture that values verbal assertiveness. Self‐esteem varied among participants and, for some participants, improved with confidence in communication. Several participants reported depression and other mental illness. The training environment varied among residency programs.ConclusionsJapanese IMGs who completed US training report that it was worth it, but describe significant language and culture related struggles and effects on mental health. Further research should address which Japanese IMGs are most likely to struggle, how this will transpire, and how to optimize the US clinical training experience.

我国推行工程总承包(EPC)制度的构架不足和法律完善——以日本国际承包商公司在国内项目管理的成功案例为借鉴

我国推行工程总承包(EPC)制度的构架不足和法律完善——以日本国际承包商公司在国内项目管理的成功案例为借鉴

일본의회의 국제사법재판소에 대한 인식 -이명박 대통령의 독도방문 이후-

한국의 이명박 대통령이 2012년 8월 10일 독도를 방문했다. 일본은 독도가 일본영토 라고 하여 이명박 대통령의 독도 방문을 비난했다. 특히 일본 국회에서 독도문제를 국제사 법재판소에 제소하여 해결할 것을 촉구했다. 본 연구는 일본국회에서 독도문제를 국제사 법재판소에서 해결해야한다고 주장하는 견해를 분석하였다. 첫째, 일반적으로 일본은 독도가 일본영토라고 주장한다. 그렇다면 일본국회에는 국회의원들이 독도가 일본영토라고 하는 인식이 적극적인지, 소극적인지, 아니면 일본영토가 아니라고 생각하는지에 관해 고찰했다. 적극적인 견해는 독도가 일본영토임에도 불구하고 현 민주당정부가 적극적으로 독도문제에 소극적으로 대처했다고 일본정부를 비난했다. 소극적인 견해는 독도가 일본영 토임에도 불구하고 이명박 대통령이 독도를 방문하게 된 것은 이전의 자민당정부에서 적극적으로 대처하지 못했기 때문에 생긴 것이라고 하여 정치권 모두의 책임이라고 주장했다. 둘째, 2005년 일본 시마네현이 ‘죽도의 날’ 조례를 제정했다. 그 이후 매년처럼 중앙 정부의 관료를 초빙하여 2월22일에 ‘죽도의 날’ 기념행사를 개최한다. 일본 국회에서도 시마네현의 ‘죽도의 날’ 기념행사에 즈음하여 독도문제를 제기하여 영토문제는 외교문제 이기 때문에 정부주도의 행사를 개최하여 국내외에 홍보해야할 것과 독도문제를 국제사법 재판소에 제소하여 신속하게 해결할 것을 독촉했다. 그러나 독도문제를 제기하는 의원은 시마네현 출신 국회의원 단 한사람뿐이다. 그것도 매년 제기하는 것이 아니라 간혹 제기했다. 이처럼 일본국회에서도 독도 영유권에 관해 그다지 큰 관심을 갖고 있지 않았다. 즉 다시 말하면 일본국회에서도 독도가 일본영토이기 때문에 반드시 찾아와야하는 영토라는 인식이 그다지 많지 않다는 것을 의미한다.

Yangon “Emerging Metropolis”: Challenges for the Authorities and Resilience of the Yangonites

Since the elections of 2010 and the accelerated economic openness of Myanmar (formerly Burma), changes are taking place in the country. Those metamorphoses are particularly visible in Yangon’s landscape, which remains the economic capital and the national entry door, and major for its inhabitants. Yangon’s population is growing, its suburban areas are expanding, and the limits of its metropolitan area are not well defined yet. As a result of the urban pressure and of the increased influx of people from other regions, as well as foreign investors, the metropolization is disorganized: scattered construction of new skyscrapers, larger malls, destruction of green spaces, gentrification of the Central Business District, etc. Because of the new economic legislation, which has allowed a massive importation of cars, Yangon is also facing many other issues: inadequate road infrastructures, severe traffic congestion, lack of parking spaces, noise and air pollution. Yangon Municipality—the Yangon City Development Committee—assisted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, prepared an urban transport plan of Greater Yangon. Since environmental, cultural and social costs seem to be high, to what extent do the Yangonites benefit from the economic openness? Based on data collected by the Myanmar government in the 2014 Census, and years of interviews by the author of local and international actors living in Yangon, this paper analyzes the challenges of the authorities and the resilience of the Yangonites facing the metropolization of Yangon.