Effective Use of AI in Pathology Diagnosis and What Future Pathologists Will Need

 As AI rapidly transforms medicine, pathology has often been described as one of the specialties most vulnerable to automation. Yet the reality inside diagnostic practice appears more complex. Reflecting on AI-assisted pathology, war technology, and human judgment, this essay explores why the future may demand not fewer pathologists, but stronger ones.

As the long holiday came to an end, both the temperature and humidity began to rise, reminding us that the hot season is approaching.

Many people still seemed to be away, and the trains were not as crowded as I had expected.

During the holidays, the only time I touched my PC was for less than an hour each day to write this blog. Other than that, I merely did a few searches on my smartphone.

The rapid progress of autonomous AI systems in the war in Ukraine has become a major topic, and people have already begun to imagine a future in which wars are fought mainly by robots. That future may arrive as early as next year.

The idea that attacks on people and infrastructure could determine the course of war is deeply unsettling.

Human ingenuity will likely focus on how to defend against such attacks, but even then, people will probably consult AI for strategy. In that sense, the situation feels completely contradictory.

People often discuss how AI may take away human jobs, but how much work will actually disappear because of AI?

Pathology was once considered one of the medical fields most likely to be replaced relatively early by AI, but it now seems there are clear limits to that prediction.

I myself sometimes consult AI to make sure there are no missing differential diagnoses, but up to that point, I still have to guide the process.

As image databases continue to accumulate, some diagnoses are certainly becoming easier, and there will probably be more situations where human specialists only need to confirm the results. Even so, a vast number of problems remain beyond what AI alone can solve.

AI-assisted diagnosis will undoubtedly become more useful in the future, but paradoxically, that future may require pathologists with even greater abilities.

There may no longer be much need for humans to handle tasks that beginner pathologists can already manage.

However, the reasoning behind a diagnosis and the way the diagnosis itself is constructed must still be led by the pathologist.

AI merely waits for instructions, as if asking, “So, what shall we do?”

To put it extremely, even if one places a specimen on the stage and says, “Diagnose this,” AI can do nothing if the specimen itself is incorrect.

Pathologists must possess enough skill to give AI appropriate instructions, and acquiring that skill naturally requires effort. In the end, what we must do may not be all that different from what was required when I first became a pathologist.

There is something profoundly valuable contained within what human beings have patiently built over generations.

The more powerful our tools become, the more deeply human wisdom itself may be tested. 

 

・・・ 

Vocabulary for Learners

• autonomous AI systems — 自律型AIシステム
• determine the course of — 〜の趨勢を決定する
• deeply unsettling — 非常に不安を掻き立てる
• differential diagnosis — 鑑別診断
• accumulate — 蓄積する
• AI-assisted diagnosis — AI支援診断
• paradoxically — 逆説的に
• specimen — 検体、標本
• possess enough skill — 十分な力量を持つ
• patiently built over generations — 世代を超えて営々と築き上げられてきた

 

Blue Nemophila Hills and the End of a Quiet Holiday

On the final day of Japan’s long holiday, I visited the famous nemophila fields at Hitachi Seaside Park. Although the flowers had already passed their peak season, the pale blue hills were still beautiful enough to make the trip worthwhile.

The cool weather suited my dog Ann perfectly, and she happily walked far more than usual. After several days of genuine rest — something increasingly rare in modern life — I found myself thinking about work, family, and the exhausting uncertainty of world affairs. News from the Middle East changes by the hour, and trying to follow every development no longer feels meaningful.

On the way home, I stopped to see my son, who works in Ibaraki. Seeing that he looked healthy and was doing reasonably well brought a quiet sense of relief before returning to the reality of another demanding workweek.

On the final day of the holiday, I went to see the nemophila flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park.

Their best season seems to have ended in late April, but they were still more than beautiful enough.

The temperature never rose very much today, and it remained chilly throughout the day. Still, it was perfect weather for Ann. She looked comfortable and happily walked much farther than usual.

 

During this holiday, aside from doing a little work last Saturday, I spent almost the entire time resting.

Working constantly is not everything. Taking life slowly once in a while should help give us the energy to move forward again.

As for the situation involving America, Israel, and Iran, things have fallen into complete confusion, constantly shaken by President Trump’s abrupt reversals and contradictory statements. At this point, trying to follow every development no longer seems particularly useful.

On the way back from the nemophila fields, I stopped by to see my son, who works in Ibaraki.

He seemed reasonably well, and that gave me some relief.

Well then, back to work tomorrow.

An overwhelming amount of work will probably come rushing in again, but I need to wake up this holiday-softened body and do my best not to be crushed by it.

 

Rest does not solve everything, but sometimes it gives us just enough strength to begin again. 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• nemophila fields — ネモフィラ畑
• passed their peak season — 見頃を過ぎた
• chilly throughout the day — 一日中肌寒い
• once in a while — 時々は
• abrupt reversals — 朝令暮改、突然の方針転換
• contradictory statements — 矛盾した発言
• reasonably well — まずまず元気に
• come rushing in — 押し寄せてくる
• holiday-softened body — 休みでなまった体
• be crushed by it — それに押しつぶされる

 

 

A Refreshing Day and a Quiet Check on My Health

It was a pleasantly dry and refreshing day across most of Japan, except for Okinawa, which had just entered the rainy season. A morning walk turned into more than routine exercise—it became a moment of reflection. An old set of health check records, discovered during a household cleanup, offered a chance to look back over the years. Comparing past and present numbers can be surprisingly revealing, not only about physical changes, but about how we age and adapt. This is a small record of that realization.

It was a pleasantly dry and refreshing day.
Except for Okinawa, which entered the rainy season yesterday, it seems that most of the country enjoyed clear skies.

This morning, I walked my dog Ann alone, taking the hiking trail from behind Myohonji Temple up to Mt. Gion.

I found myself wondering whether the ups and downs had always been this demanding.
For a moment, I recalled the days when I used to walk these paths lightly with my children.

When I returned home, my wife showed me an old set of health check results she had found while doing a thorough cleanup.

They were more than 15 years old. I thought about entering them into my health management app, but unfortunately, the data was too old to be supported.

So instead, I decided to jot down part of the record here, including more recent data.

　　　　 Feb 2009　 Feb 2015　 Aug 2022　 Aug 2025　 Today (home)

Height (cm)　 176.7　　　　176.0　　　　175.1　　　　174.8　　　　—
Weight (kg)　 80.9　　　　78.9　　　　74.7　　　　75.8　　　　76.7
BMI　　　　 25.9　　　　25.5　　　　24.4　　　　24.8　　　　25.4
Waist (cm)　 99.0　　　　94.0　　　　89.9　　　　91.7　　　　—
Blood Pressure　136/89　 116/79　 129/81　 132/82　 127/77

Aside from becoming slightly shorter, my waist measurement has actually improved, perhaps thanks to my recent efforts at dieting.

Next time, I hope for even better results.

The reason today’s hike felt more demanding is probably not just my body shape.
Muscle strength, eyesight, and balance likely all play a role.

Still, I would like to make an effort to keep walking regularly.

 At the very least, I would like to keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

 ・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• refreshing：爽やかな
• thorough cleanup：徹底的な掃除
• jot down：書き留める
• demanding：きつい、負担の大きい
• measurement：測定値
• aside from：〜を除けば
• effort：努力、心がけ
• put one foot in front of the other：一歩一歩進む（比喩表現）

 

The Quiet Usefulness of Holidays in a Changing Season

A restless night can quietly shape the rhythm of an entire day. Waking before dawn to the sound of a storm, and then giving in to a baseball broadcast one probably should have ignored, is a small but familiar human indulgence. From there, the day drifts forward—half-awake, slightly unfocused, yet somehow full.

This piece reflects on such a day. What begins with sleep deprivation unfolds into ordinary tasks: walking the dog, doing laundry, taking care of things long postponed. And before one realizes it, evening has already arrived.

There is nothing dramatic here, and that may be precisely the point. As the season shifts in earnest, these scattered, quiet hours of rest and routine take on a certain meaning. Holidays at this time of year are not for grand plans, but for adjusting oneself to change—gently, almost unconsciously.

 

Last night’s storm woke me before four in the morning, and, against my better judgment, I ended up watching the Dodgers game.

I drifted in and out of sleep afterward, and morning came with a lingering sense of fatigue.

By then, the rain had completely stopped. I took Anne out for a walk, went to a coin laundry to wash down jackets and blankets, and spent the day taking care of one thing after another. Before I knew it, it was already night.

Having a holiday at this time of year, when the season truly begins to change, turns out to be useful in its own quiet way.

That will be all for today.

 

Sometimes, a day that seems to slip away unnoticed is doing more quiet work than we realize. 

 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• against my better judgment　自分でも良くないとわかっていながら（つい〜してしまう）
• drift in and out of sleep　うとうとする、浅い眠りを繰り返す
• lingering fatigue　残る疲労感
• before I knew it　気がついたら、いつの間にか
• in its own quiet way　それなりに、控えめながらも独自の形で

 

What Should Citizens Do in a Constitutional Revision Debate?

On Constitution Memorial Day, it is easy to treat the constitution as something distant—like air, always present yet rarely noticed. But recent events remind us that it quietly shapes what a nation can and cannot do.

In Japan, discussions about constitutional revision have resurfaced, often framed around security, international responsibility, and national autonomy. Yet for many citizens, including the author, the constitution remains difficult to fully grasp in its entirety. When the time comes to vote, what standards should guide us?

This essay reflects on that uncertainty. It considers the gap between abstract principles—such as the rejection of war—and the concrete realities of global conflict. It also raises a concern: that important decisions about the constitution could be reduced to something as superficial as a popularity contest.

Rather than offering clear answers, the piece invites readers to confront a quieter, more uncomfortable question—how many of us are truly thinking about this issue as our own?

 

The second day of the long holiday.
Today is Constitution Memorial Day.

The Constitution of Japan is like the backbone of the nation.
If it is bent or broken, the consequences would be serious.

And yet, its existence is like air—something we rarely notice in our daily lives.

Recently, however, I encountered something that made me realize how deeply the constitution affects reality.

A leader of a political party I do not particularly support commented, in relation to the conflict in the Middle East, that Japan cannot easily dispatch minesweepers to remove naval mines in the Persian Gulf because of constitutional constraints.
Likewise, when the Prime Minister told the President of the United States that there are things Japan can and cannot do, it was probably rooted in the same framework.

To not wage war, and not to take part in war—
this should be a fundamental principle of humanity.

War not only takes human lives, but also destroys countless other forms of life and wipes away what people have built over time in an instant.

Watching such scenes day after day, one almost feels a creeping numbness toward the fear of war.

Does the constitutional revision now being discussed threaten this fundamental principle?

Will it move toward allowing the idea of striking back when attacked, or even striking first?
Or is it meant to address entirely different aspects?

To be honest, I do not fully understand the constitution as a whole.

If a national referendum were to take place, I am not sure what criteria I should use to make my decision.

Even if I were to reread the entire constitution now, it is not something that can be easily understood in a short time.
But to treat such a decision like an extension of a popularity contest—like the recent general election—would be dangerously superficial.

There are valid arguments in favor of creating a “homegrown” constitution.
However, even within the various constraints of the postwar period, the current Constitution of Japan was shaped with the involvement of Japanese people.

The constitution quietly, yet steadily, defines the nature of the nation.

To avoid waking up one day to find ourselves under an authoritarian regime, each citizen must think of this as a personal matter.

And yet, one cannot help but wonder—how many people are truly doing so?

 

A constitution may be silent, but the responsibility to understand it is not. 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• backbone：背骨、基盤→ the backbone of the nation（国家の基盤）
• constitutional constraints：憲法上の制約
• dispatch：派遣する→ 軍事・公的文脈でよく使われる
• take part in：参加する、関与する
• creeping numbness：じわじわとした麻痺
• strike back / strike first：反撃する／先制攻撃する
• national referendum：国民投票
• homegrown constitution：自主憲法
• authoritarian regime：権威主義的政権、独裁政権

 

Are We Too Harsh on Struggling Athletes? A Quiet Reflection on Japanese Criticism

Golden Week has begun in Japan, bringing with it a rare pause in the rhythm of daily life. On a breezy spring morning, while watching a Los Angeles Dodgers game, I found myself thinking less about the score and more about something else—how we respond to those who are not performing well.

With more Japanese players, led by Shohei Ohtani, making their mark in Major League Baseball, public attention has grown. Yet alongside admiration, there seems to be an increasing amount of harsh criticism, especially toward players in a slump.

This piece is not about baseball itself. Rather, it is a quiet reflection on the tone of our reactions—how easily disappointment turns into personal attacks, and what that might say about us as a society. By comparing this tendency with attitudes seen elsewhere, I explore whether this harshness is simply human nature, or something more specific to our cultural environment.

 

It was a fine day, though the wind was strong.

With the holidays beginning today, I had been thinking about how best to spend the time. For now, I decided to visit my mother in Tokyo.

In the morning, there was a Dodgers game. I watched and cheered, but their recent offensive struggles continued, and they suffered a disappointing loss.

With more Japanese players moving to Major League teams, led by Ohtani, there has been a great deal of attention surrounding them.

What has been bothering me lately, however, is the harsh language directed at players who are not performing well.

There are certainly players whose results make one tilt their head in doubt. But they are surely the ones who understand their struggles best. There seems little need to rub salt into their wounds.

Unlike celebrity gossip, the tone often feels like a denial of one’s character. Perhaps I am the only one who senses this.

In contrast, in countries like Korea, athletes from their own nation tend to receive unwavering support.

Is this tendency something inherent in us?

There are studies suggesting that people may act out of spite—even to their own disadvantage—simply to bring others down. I find myself recognizing that impulse from time to time.

Such behavior may appear to stem from a strong sense of justice, but in reality, it is often nothing more than simple unkindness. It is hardly admirable, and perhaps surprising to those in Western societies.

Of course, there may be players who are genuinely difficult as individuals. But it is hard to justify attacking young people who have committed no wrongdoing.

The media and the internet amplify these voices, turning them into entertainment, and the cycle continues.

One cannot help but wish that those involved would behave a little more like “adults.”

Yet perhaps we are living in a society where true adulthood itself has become scarce.

 

Kindness may be the simplest measure of maturity—and the one we seem to forget most easily. 

 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• harsh criticism：厳しい批判
• in a slump：不調の状態で
• rub salt into the wound：傷口に塩を塗る
• deny one’s character：人格を否定する
• unwavering support：揺るがない支援
• spite / spiteful behavior：悪意・意地悪な行動
• hardly admirable：ほとんど称賛に値しない
• amplify：増幅する、拡大する
• cannot help but ~：〜せざるを得ない
• scarce：乏しい、少ない

 

What Remains in the Sieve, and What We Pass On

May has begun with heavy rain. 

Yesterday, as I had promised in my blog, I worked rather hard.

That said, when I look back, most of the actual work was done by those around me.
What I did was simply to assist them.

And if I were to put it differently, that “assistance” was, in fact, guidance—sharing what I know.

Before I knew it, I had become the oldest member in the department.
Leaving aside the question of knowledge, I have, at the very least, more experience than anyone else here.
Everyone around me is a junior colleague now, and there is no longer a senior close at hand to rely on.

I offer guidance not only to doctors but also to laboratory technologists, from a pathological point of view.
This, too, is part of passing on what I have accumulated through my own experience.

What I pass on are things that have been caught in the sieve that is myself—
things that, to me, hold a certain truth and value.

The size of that sieve may be debatable, but it was filled, over time, by countless mentors who threw in a mixture of stones and sand—
all the experiences I was fortunate enough to receive from those before me.

At the time, I did not fully understand what I was being told.
Yet what remained has become part of my flesh and blood, shaping who I am today as a pathologist.

Now, in turn, I find myself gradually passing on what has remained on my sieve to those who come after me.

What they choose to keep—and how much of it—will be entirely up to them.
After all, what I pass on is only what remained in my sieve, and there are countless other sieves in this world.

To have even a small chance to entrust something to the next generation is, I think, a quiet kind of happiness.

I sometimes feel that my own “closing chapter” as a pathologist has begun,
but I hope to bring it to a graceful end, little by little.

 

Time, after all, is shorter than we imagine.

 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• sieve：ふるい　比喩的に「経験や価値観で選別するもの」
• assist / assistance：手伝う／手助け　控えめな関わりを表すニュアンス
• guidance：指導、導き　押しつけではなく支えるような教え
• accumulate：蓄積する　経験や知識が時間をかけて積み重なること
• flesh and blood：血肉、身についたもの　単なる知識ではなく、自分の一部になったもの
• entrust：託す　責任や価値あるものを次に渡す
• graceful end：有終の美　穏やかで品のある締めくくり
• closing chapter：人生やキャリアの終盤　“end”よりも柔らかく余韻のある表現

 

 

 

Two More Days Before the Break

 Japan’s long holiday has begun, and the city already feels a little different. Fewer commuters, quieter trains—and a mind starting to drift toward days off, even while work still waits.

The long holiday season seems to have started yesterday, with news reports showing a rush of travelers heading overseas.

This morning’s train was only about 60% as crowded as usual, and the stress of commuting was noticeably lighter.

Of course, that comes with its own kind of irritation—more people spreading out and occupying space as if it were entirely their own.

Still, with both office workers and university students away, this time of year is easier to get through.
This year’s calendar is favorable, and with a bit of paid leave, it looks possible to take nearly two weeks off.

Perhaps, once I reach the stage where I need to use up my remaining leave, I might try living that way—almost as a rehearsal for retirement.
But not this year.

Yesterday, I started pulling weeds in the garden and was quickly reminded of how much I had neglected things at home.

It seems I will have to devote at least a day of the holiday to yard work.

I am still hoping that the trees damaged by the severe cold this winter might recover, so the pots remain occupied.
I hesitate to plant anything new, and even the leggy pansies are difficult to pull out.

In the end, simply weeding and tidying the ground may be enough.

There are also plans unique to a long holiday—visiting my mother, perhaps traveling to see my son who lives far away.
When I think about it, it may not be such a quiet break after all.

Still, more than anything, I look forward to spending time with Anne.

 

Yesterday, I tried putting into practice a few things I had learned at a retriever training session, and the change was greater than expected.

Not that Anne had changed—but rather, I realized how much consideration I had been lacking.

She had done nothing wrong.

With more time together like this, perhaps things will gradually improve.

 

So while my anticipation for the holiday keeps growing, today and tomorrow are still regular workdays.

I want to focus and clear the tasks that have been piling up.

Fortunately, a colleague who had been overseas for training has returned, and it seems we may finally move past the recent chaos.
There are still a few difficult cases to handle, but I intend to deal with them properly.

And then there is the administrative work—especially the announcements related to upcoming meetings.

After that, the holiday.

For now, these two days before it begins—
I will simply concentrate and do my best.

 

For now, just two days—focus, and carry through. 

 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• long holiday season　　大型連休（日本特有のニュアンスを自然に表現）
• rush of travelers　旅行客のラッシュ、混雑の様子
• occupy space　場所を占有する（やや批判的ニュアンス）
• paid leave　年次有給休暇
• rehearsal for retirement　定年後生活の予行演習（自然で含みのある表現）
• leggy (plants)　徒長した（植物がひょろ長く伸びた状態）
• tidying the ground　整地する、軽く手入れする
• put into practice　実践する
• consideration　配慮、気遣い
• carry through　やり抜く、最後までやる

 

 

A Quiet Holiday to Begin Golden Week

 The sky was lightly overcast, the air was mild, and even the dog walk felt comfortable. On the first day of Golden Week, I decided not to rush, but to enjoy a calm and simple holiday.

 

Today is Showa Day, a national holiday in Japan, and the beginning of Golden Week.

Many people use this long holiday period for travel, family visits, or special plans. Of course, how we spend our free time matters. But sometimes, the best choice is not to fill every hour with activity.

 

This morning, I planned to do some work around the house. However, a baseball game started, and Shohei Ohtani was pitching for the Dodgers. Naturally, that caught my attention, so I sat down first to write today’s blog post.

I cannot spend the whole day in front of the television, though. After finishing this article, I plan to go outside and pull some weeds in the garden.

Nothing dramatic, nothing ambitious—just small tasks, fresh air, and a peaceful pace.

Sometimes a quiet day is exactly what we need.

 

Not every holiday needs excitement; sometimes peace is enough. 

 

Vocabulary for Learners

• overcast = 曇った、雲に覆われた　The sky was overcast this morning.
• mild = 穏やかな、暑すぎず寒すぎない　The weather was mild and pleasant.
• national holiday = 国民の祝日　Showa Day is a national holiday in Japan.
• pitching = （野球で）投球している　Ohtani was pitching today.
• caught my attention = 気を引いた、注意を向けさせた　The game caught my attention.
• pull weeds = 雑草を抜く　I plan to pull weeds in the garden.
• peaceful pace = 穏やかなペース、のんびりした調子　I enjoyed the day at a peaceful pace.
• unhurried = 急がない、ゆったりした　It was an unhurried holiday.

 

 

Why Do We Gain Weight, and Why Do We Try to Lose It?

A rainy morning in Kamakura led me to think about something larger than the weather: why people gain weight so easily, and why losing it has become such a constant concern in modern life. 

Yesterday, a large rain cloud moved across the Japanese archipelago, and Kamakura welcomed a pleasantly damp morning.

It seems that the forest fire in Iwate Prefecture has eased somewhat as well. Since more rain is expected today, I hope it moves closer to being fully extinguished.

The other day, I wrote that frequent business trips had left me tired. One reason for that fatigue, I realized, is eating out too often.

Restaurant meals usually contain a lot of salt. Salty food tastes better, and even when we know that, we still tend to eat too much. As a result, salt accumulates in the body, and water is retained to dilute it, leaving us swollen and heavier than before.

In theory, losing that extra weight should simply require reversing the process. In reality, however, the body does not respond so quickly.

Even after several days of effort and returning to my usual weight, I may casually step into a soba restaurant and drink too much of the strongly flavored broth. Even though I have stopped mindlessly snacking right after coming home, the benefit becomes limited if I do that.

It is surprisingly hard to lose the weight once gained through eating out.

Still, I sometimes wonder: what exactly is dieting for?

Being thin is not automatically ideal. If you look at fighters or athletes, it is obvious that having greater body weight can be purposeful and advantageous.

In my own case, the issue is more practical. I do not want my clothes—especially my trousers—to stop fitting. I simply want to prevent my waistline from expanding any further.

Then there is blood pressure. Years ago, a cardiologist once told me that slightly high blood pressure was not necessarily a bad thing. But when it gets too high, I develop headaches, so now I prefer to keep it under control.

Since heavier body weight often raises blood pressure, I need to reduce both visceral fat and salt intake. There is no need here to repeat all the risks of hypertension, but weight control is certainly effective, and reducing salt is part of that effort.

I would also like to cut back on eating out, though that is not so easy. Restaurants are part of the economy, and they depend on people dining outside the home.

Modern society has become a rather complicated place—where systems encourage us to overeat while pressures constantly tell us to become thinner.

 

We live in a world that sells indulgence and discipline at the same time. 

 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• archipelago – 群島、列島　the Japanese archipelago（日本列島）
• extinguished – 消火された、鎮火した　The fire was extinguished.
• fatigue – 疲労　Travel can cause fatigue.
• accumulate – 蓄積する　Salt accumulates in the body.
• retain / retained – 保持する、貯留する　Water is retained.
• in theory / in reality – 理論上は / 現実には　In theory it is simple, but in reality it is hard.
• mindlessly snacking – 無意識に間食すること　I stopped mindlessly snacking.
• purposeful – 目的にかなった、有意義な　Greater weight can be purposeful.
• waistline – ウエスト周り、胴回り　My waistline has expanded.
• visceral fat – 内臓脂肪
• hypertension – 高血圧
• cut back on – ～を減らす　I should cut back on eating out.
• indulgence – 放縦、ぜいたく、欲望に任せること
• discipline – 節制、自己管理

Yes, Japan Faces Natural Disasters—But That Is No Reason for Political Fearmongering

 Japan is a country where earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy snow are part of life. We do not deny that reality. We live with it, prepare for it, and continue moving forward. That is why using natural disasters as a political tool against Japan is both unfair and unworthy of any serious nation.

This morning began with heavy rain, cold air, and gloomy skies. The news reported a strong earthquake in Hokkaido shortly after five o’clock. Coming so soon after last week’s large quake off the Sanriku coast, it naturally causes concern.

My daughter, who lives in New York, once said that the best thing there is the absence of earthquakes. I understand exactly what she means.

Japan has always lived under the shadow of nature. Earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, and heavy snowfall are not unusual here. Even Mount Fuji could erupt someday, and we know it. We prepare because we must.

That does not mean we stop living.

Recently, I spoke with someone living in Karuizawa, who said that the number of Western tourists has increased, while large tour groups from China have become far less visible. Similar stories are heard in Kamakura as well. Chinese group tourism appears to have declined, though individual travelers still continue to visit.

This likely reflects official discouragement of travel to Japan by the Chinese government.

It is unfortunate when ordinary people who may wish to visit Japan are restrained by political messaging from above. More recently, there have even been reports of campaigns using Japan’s earthquakes as a reason to avoid travel here.

That goes too far.

Natural disasters are serious matters. They should never be turned into propaganda. If there were hidden dangers or a lack of public information, criticism would be understandable. But Japan provides visitors with extensive information, warnings, and guidance.

Millions still choose to come.

The proper path between nations is dialogue, mutual respect, and open exchange—not attempts to spread fear for political convenience.

A country that calls itself a great power should behave like one.

 

True strength is shown not by spreading fear, but by showing dignity. 

 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

• natural disaster – 自然災害
• earthquake – 地震
• fearmongering – 不安をあおること、恐怖を利用する扇動
• under the shadow of – ～の脅威のもとで
• discouragement of travel – 渡航自粛の働きかけ
• propaganda – 宣伝工作、政治的プロパガンダ
• mutual respect – 相互尊重
• political convenience – 政治的都合
• great power – 大国
• dignity – 品位、威厳