Why Politicians Leave Us Feeling Hopeless

From disaster-zone visits to expensive overseas trips and questionable local projects, public spending often leaves taxpayers wondering whose money politicians think they are using. It is a frustration that extends far beyond Japan.

Today is Risshū, the beginning of autumn according to the traditional Japanese calendar.

Although this is actually the hottest time of the year, autumn has already begun on the calendar.

Even at the peak of the heat, the days are gradually growing shorter, and I have been seeing far more dragonflies.

The temperature is expected to fall slightly next week. Now, all that remains is to wait for autumn.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently visited the earthquake-stricken areas of Kumamoto.

Judging from the television footage, she appeared to be accompanied by a considerable number of people. According to news reports, the visit itself lasted 51 minutes.

I think it was good that she found time in her busy schedule to travel to Kumamoto. Still, I could not help wondering how much the entire visit cost.

There is, of course, great value in a prime minister going to a disaster area and seeing the damage with her own eyes.

At the same time, I wonder how much a brief visit involving so many people actually contributes to helping those affected.

This morning, the news reported that the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly had spent hundreds of millions of yen in public funds on overseas trips over the past several years.

In one case, members reportedly stayed at a hotel in Paris that cost well over 100,000 yen per night.

And the money, of course, came from taxpayers.

In Kamakura, the city assembly has faced criticism for installing a gold-colored display bearing the names of former assembly presidents and vice presidents, as well as current members.

Together with repairs to the wall, it reportedly cost approximately 3.85 million yen.

Kamakura’s local taxes are by no means cheap. It is difficult to accept that our money is being spent on something like this.

Do people become less careful with money because it is not money they earned through their own hard work?

Of course, some expenditure is necessary for politics and government.

There are things politicians cannot understand without traveling abroad. There are things they cannot see without personally visiting a disaster area.

But behind the phrase “necessary expenditure,” have they become numb to the fact that they are spending taxpayers’ money?

They want to achieve good government by spending other people’s money.

Sometimes I find myself wondering whether that idea is inherently impossible.

The moment politicians acquire power, some begin to behave as though public money and public office have become their personal property.

Do we not see far too many such incidents, from national government to local assemblies, in every corner of the country?

The same thing has probably been happening for centuries.

How much longer will this sense of hopelessness toward politicians continue?

And yet, suppose I became a politician and suddenly had public money at my disposal.

Could I treat it with the same care as the money I earned through my own hard work?

I am not entirely confident that I could.

Perhaps the problem is not only what power does to politicians, but what it might do to any of us.

・・・

public spending
Money spent by a government or public authority.
公的支出、政府や自治体による支出

taxpayer
A person or organization that pays taxes.
納税者

disaster-stricken area
A place that has been seriously affected by a natural disaster.
被災地

public funds
Money belonging to a government or public organization, usually collected through taxes.
公金、税金などから成る公的資金

at someone’s disposal
Available for someone to use or control.
人が自由に使用・管理できる状態で

be numb to something
To become unable or unwilling to notice or react strongly to something.
何かに対する感覚が麻痺している

inherently
In a way that is a basic or inseparable part of something.
本質的に、生来

public office
An official position in government.
公職

in every corner of the country
Throughout the entire country, including many different regions.
国中いたるところで、全国津々浦々

not entirely confident
Unsure whether one would really be able to do something.
完全には自信がない

#Japan #JapanesePolitics #Politics #PublicSpending #Taxpayers #GovernmentAccountability #PoliticalPower #Kumamoto #Kamakura #Risshu #pathologist #Kamakura

Will This Summer Slip Away Before I Know It Again?

As August settles in, the trains begin to empty and many people prepare for their summer holidays. Meanwhile, my own summer seems likely to pass under a steady accumulation of work, deadlines, and plans made with the help of AI.

Perhaps because of the rain that had continued since last night, the morning was slightly humid, but not unpleasantly so.

The temperature has been a little lower over the past few days, which has been a great relief.

This morning, I left Ann’s walk to my wife and got up at my usual time, just before six.

I had only been walking Ann for a few days, but stopping so suddenly left me feeling that something was missing.

My body, however, is already exhausted from the mountain of work that has piled up day after day.

Perhaps this was just the right time to take a break.

Now that August has begun, perhaps more people are taking their summer holidays, because the trains have become less crowded.

This year’s Obon holiday period runs from August 13 to 16.

By using all five days of summer leave and taking tomorrow, next Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off, one could create a ten-day holiday, including Mountain Day.

That would be quite a vacation.

There is, of course, the question of where anyone would want to go in this heat, but in any case, the trains will probably become even emptier from tomorrow onward.

In pediatric pathology, my own field, we have an academic meeting in September, so August is always busy with preparations.

This year, I also have a lecture at a kidney-related research meeting in September, and the preparation for that is hanging over me as well.

As I wrote recently, I have been asking AI to help schedule my work.

AI has no concept of a summer holiday, so it assigns me tasks day after day.

However, when I tell it that today is a weekend, or a holiday, or that I am tired, or simply do not feel motivated, it adjusts the schedule accordingly.

For now, I follow what it tells me.

I have had enough of panicking, so I suppose all I can do is keep going according to the plan.

In the end, it seems unlikely that I will have much of a summer holiday this year either.

Whenever the next request for work arrives, I tell myself that this time I will refuse.

It is time to let younger people do these things.

Strangely enough, though, while I am thinking that way, no requests seem to come.

Then, just as I begin to feel that I have a little too much time on my hands, another request arrives, and I find myself accepting it.

And so, unable to draw a clear line or bring anything properly to an end, this summer too seems likely to drift away before I know it.

Perhaps summer does not end suddenly; perhaps it simply disappears while we are still busy making plans for it.

 

・・・

humid
Slightly wet and uncomfortable because there is a lot of moisture in the air.
湿気が多い、蒸し暑い

a great relief
Something that removes worry, discomfort, or difficulty.
大いに助かること、ほっとすること

a mountain of work
A very large amount of work.
山積みの仕事

pile up
To gradually increase or accumulate.
積み重なる、たまる

Obon holiday period
A summer holiday period in Japan when many people return to their hometowns and honor their ancestors.
お盆休み

hanging over me
Continuing to cause worry or pressure because it still has to be dealt with.
気にかかっている、重くのしかかっている

adjust accordingly
To change something so that it suits the situation.
状況に応じて調整する

have enough of
To no longer be willing to tolerate something.
もううんざりする、もう勘弁してほしいと思う

have too much time on one’s hands
To have more free time than one knows how to use.
手持ち無沙汰である

draw a clear line
To make a definite distinction or bring something to a clear end.
区切りをつける

#SummerInJapan #ObonHoliday #WorkAndLife #AIPlanning #PediatricPathology #DailyLife #KamakuraLife #pathologist #Kamakura

Moved to Tears by the Dedication of Nurses

NHK’s current morning drama, Kaze, Kaoru, tells the story of two pioneering women at the dawn of modern nursing in Japan. As the heroines confront an epidemic, their dedication brings to mind the nurses now working at disaster sites.

NHK’s current morning drama is Kaze, Kaoru.

The series follows two women who became pioneers during the early years of modern nursing in Japan. With its vivid portrayal of the historical period, it has become a drama that I do not want to miss.

I usually watch it on demand on my smartphone during my train ride home.

This week’s story appears to center on an outbreak of dysentery and the struggle to contain it.

Yesterday, there was a scene in which the two heroines, close allies who had been separated from one another, finally came together again and joined forces.

I nearly found myself in tears in the middle of the train.

At the same time, a major earthquake has struck Kumamoto, and many healthcare professionals have entered the affected areas to provide emergency assistance.

They wear vests marked “Doctor,” “Nurse,” and other professional titles so that their respective roles can be immediately recognized.

As I watched the nurses shown in the disaster coverage, their figures seemed to overlap with those of the heroines in the drama.

That may be why I was so deeply moved by their devoted work.

The drama also asks what it truly means to be a nurse.

Naturally, there is no single answer.

The young women struggle with their doubts, choose their own paths, and continue moving forward.

Whether we die at home or in a hospital, it will often be a nurse who cares for us during our final days.

I believe this is an excellent drama because it makes us reconsider why the nursing profession is indispensable.

It also reminds us that we must never take for granted the people who choose to carry out this demanding work.

These days, I find myself feeling greater respect for nurses than ever before.

Behind every hospital bed and every disaster-relief effort stands a nurse quietly protecting the dignity of another human life.

 

・・・

pioneer
A person who is among the first to develop or introduce a new field, method, or idea.
先駆者、パイオニア

at the dawn of
At the beginning of an important historical period or development.
〜の黎明期に、〜の始まりに

dysentery
An infectious disease that causes severe diarrhea, often with blood, and can spread through contaminated food or water.
赤痢

contain an outbreak
To prevent an infectious disease from spreading further.
感染症の流行を封じ込める

join forces
To work together in order to achieve a shared goal.
力を合わせる、協力する

affected area
A place that has suffered damage from a disaster, conflict, or other serious event.
被災地、影響を受けた地域

disaster relief
Emergency assistance provided to people affected by a natural or human-made disaster.
災害救援、被災者支援

indispensable
Absolutely necessary and impossible to do without.
不可欠な、なくてはならない

take someone for granted
To fail to appreciate someone because their help or presence seems natural or guaranteed.
人の存在や貢献を当然のものと思う

dignity
The state of being worthy of respect, especially as a human being.
尊厳

#Nurses #Nursing #ModernNursing #HealthcareWorkers #DisasterRelief #NHKDrama #JapaneseCulture #Kumamoto #RespectForNurses #pathologist #Kamakura

The Fear of No Longer Being Myself

A month ago, I turned to AI in near panic because my work had completely stalled. Since then, I have discovered just how powerful AI can be—not by doing my work for me, but by helping me organize it. Yet the more I rely on it, the more I wonder where my own thinking ends and AI's begins.

It has been about a month since I panicked over a mountain of stalled work and turned to AI for help.

Since then, my work has been moving forward smoothly.

Of course, nothing gets done by itself. I still have plenty of work that only I can do.

When I give AI my to-do list and ask it to organize my schedule, it creates a realistic plan for each day.

I started as "an experiment," but by the third day I was already following its suggestions almost without question.

Tasks that had been piling up for weeks began to disappear one after another.

Even when I add new assignments or things that worry me, it reorganizes everything with remarkable ease.

I have never had a personal secretary, but I imagine this is what it might feel like.

Then again, perhaps it is even better.

Unlike a human assistant, AI never gets sick, never has a bad day, and never becomes irritated.

For all I know, human secretaries may already be using AI themselves to manage the schedules of the people they support.

When something manages my daily life this efficiently, I find myself asking it about almost everything.

Little by little, I begin to think less with my own mind.

When I write an article, I still do the writing myself. If AI tells me what to tackle first, I follow that advice.

Then I ask it to review my draft as well.

Sometimes its revisions are so extensive that they almost amount to rewriting the piece, yet I often find myself agreeing with the result.

Only a year ago, AI still made mistakes often enough to make me uneasy.

Now it has become remarkably accurate.

I still have to check for hallucinations myself, but there are moments when I feel that my own professional knowledge is struggling to keep up with the amount of information AI can bring to the discussion.

I never imagined AI would become this useful.

Yet sometimes I feel as though it is quietly taking over part of my mind.

Perhaps I am simply becoming aware of the limits of what I can organize and think through by myself, leaving everything beyond those limits to AI.

I usually know what I understand and what I do not.

So I provide only the basic outline and let AI help with the rest.

Still, I do not think that should become the normal way of living.

If human beings are to remain fully human, we must understand both the strengths and the limitations of AI.

Perhaps our future lies not in competing with AI, but in recognizing where it reaches its limits—and expressing our humanity beyond that point.

The greatest risk may not be that AI becomes more intelligent, but that we gradually stop using our own minds.

・・・

Word / Phrase	English Definition	日本語
stalled work	Work that has stopped making progress.	行き詰まった仕事
to-do list	A list of tasks that need to be completed.	やるべきこと一覧
follow someone's suggestions	To do what another person recommends.	助言に従う
pile up	To accumulate over time.	積み重なる
reorganize	To arrange something in a better order.	再編成する
hallucination (AI)	Incorrect information confidently generated by an AI system.	AIのハルシネーション（もっともらしい誤情報）
professional knowledge	Specialized knowledge gained through one's profession.	専門知識
struggle to keep up with	To have difficulty matching the speed or progress of something.	～についていくのに苦労する
take over	To gradually assume control or responsibility.	引き継ぐ、支配する
humanity	The qualities that make us human, such as judgment, empathy, and creativity.	人間性

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Productivity #Humanity #Pathologist #Kamakura

Maintaining My Health—A Little Late, Perhaps

A cool morning walk in Kamakura leads me to wonder what maintaining one’s health really means after sixty—when the past cannot be undone, but the aging process need not be accelerated.

This morning in Kamakura, it was 23 degrees Celsius and surprisingly cool, as though yesterday’s heat had never happened.

Anne seemed to enjoy her walk as well.

For the past few days, I have been the one taking her out, and perhaps because of that, I have lost a little weight.

Now that I am a little past sixty, I find it difficult to know how I should think about maintaining my health.

Judging from the average life expectancy, I probably have another twenty-odd years left.

Ideally, I would like to remain healthy and active until the end, and then die without a prolonged period of illness—the Japanese ideal often expressed as pinpin korori.

Unless I extend my healthy life expectancy, both I and the people around me may eventually have difficulties.

Then again, with fewer years ahead of me than behind me, talking about maintaining my health at this late stage may seem rather pointless.

There is no way I can undo all the excessive eating and drinking of my younger years.

And those days were enjoyable in their own way.

Simply by being alive, the wear and tear of age continues.

I do not want to deliver the final blow by doing anything that makes matters worse.

Even so, there is a certain feeling that it may already be too late.

A difficult balance.

Still, I cannot help thinking how old I have become.

Perhaps I noticed it a little too late.

There may be little point in struggling desperately against age at this stage.

But that does not mean I need to accelerate the process.

It may be too late to undo the past, but it is not too late to stop making time move faster than it already does.

・・・

maintain one’s health
To keep oneself in a physically and mentally healthy condition.
健康を維持する

life expectancy
The average number of years a person is expected to live.
平均余命

healthy life expectancy
The number of years a person can expect to live in good health and without serious limitations in daily life.
健康寿命

twenty-odd years
A little more than twenty years, without specifying the exact number.
20年余り、20数年

prolonged period of illness
A long period during which someone remains sick or physically dependent on others.
長期間にわたる病気の状態

pinpin korori
A Japanese expression describing the wish to remain healthy and active until shortly before a sudden, peaceful death.
亡くなる直前まで元気に過ごし、長く寝込まずに死ぬことを願う日本語表現

undo the past
To reverse or cancel the effects of something that happened previously.
過去を取り消す、過去の結果を元に戻す

wear and tear
Gradual damage or deterioration caused by ordinary use or the passage of time.
使用や時間の経過による摩耗、老朽化

deliver the final blow
To do something that causes the final or decisive damage to an already weakened situation.
弱っているものに決定的な打撃を与える、とどめを刺す

struggle against age
To make an effort to resist the physical or mental effects of growing older.
老化に抵抗する、年齢にあらがう

accelerate the process
To cause something to happen or develop more quickly.
進行を速める、加速させる

 

#HealthyAging #HealthyLifeExpectancy #LifeAfterSixty #MorningWalk #DogWalking #Aging #EverydayReflections #JapaneseLife #pathologist #Kamakura

Two Years’ Worth of Emotional Capacity — My Reading Log for July 2026

 For more than two years, I barely read a book. It was the longest dry spell I can remember—a period in which even manga gradually disappeared from my life. When I finally began reading again, I found myself wondering how long the heart can live on what it has already stored.

I used to post a reading log on the second day of every month.

In these posts, I quote the reviews I wrote on BookMeter .

I had not written one of these reading-log posts for quite some time. In other words, I had not been reading, and I had even forgotten the format I used.

So I went back and looked for my previous entry, only to discover that the last one was “My Reading Log for May 2024.”

Back then, I finished reading García Márquez, moved on to a Japanese bestseller, and, carried along by that momentum, ended with Flowers for Algernon.

I remember that time well.

Still, it has been two years since then.

I wonder how many other times in my life I have gone for more than two years without reading a proper book.

Even when I was absorbed in manga, I think I still read books.

Manga, in its own way, also gave me plenty to engage with, but now I do not even read manga.

Reading is like water that fills the heart. Perhaps it was only after that water had completely run dry that my heart began to thirst and finally made me pick up a book again.

It seems that the reservoir of my heart holds about two years’ worth.

Perhaps reading does not simply fill the heart; it also reminds us when the heart has begun to run dry. 

My July BookMeter Summary
Books read: 2
Pages read: 328
Likes received: 22

Boule de Suif (Iwanami Bunko, Red 550-1) — Review
A small but richly rewarding work. I do not know how commonly one encounters prostitutes in society, but perhaps the prostitute here is a metaphor for something. The same may be true of the other characters from the upper classes. As I read, I assumed that I myself would probably belong among those upper-class people. By the time I finished, however, I realized that this was not necessarily true at all. The distinctions between higher and lower kinds of people are entirely relative and, in the end, meaningless. The story made me think that there is no such thing as universality in human existence. After finishing it, I found myself quietly reflecting on what it means for a human being to exist.
Date finished: July 25
Author: Guy de Maupassant

 
Generative AI as a New Partner: How the Way You Write and Think Has Fundamentally Changed — Review
A book in which a scholar of religion, a humanities writer, and a philosopher each discuss how they use AI. As I increasingly came to use AI both as a conversational partner and in my work, I began to feel a sense of crisis about human existence. I picked up this book hoping to find something resembling salvation in it. In the end, however, it was nothing more than the repeated complaints of aging scholars standing frozen before the threat of AI. Because the themes are religion and philosophy, the discussion gives off a vaguely elevated air. Yet it merely presents a series of questions and answers that anyone could produce by tossing in a few related terms without possessing any deep knowledge of the subjects. Nowhere did I find a sense of urgency about the possibility that, at this rate, AI may deprive humanity even of the chance to develop new forms of thought.
Date finished: July 17
Authors: Hiromi Shimada, Tetsuya Saito, and Masao Kurosaki

BookMeter

・・・ 

emotional capacity

「心の容量」「感情を受け止められる余力」という意味。
ここでは、心の中に蓄えておける読書体験や精神的な潤いの量を表している。

reading log

「読書記録」。
読んだ本、読了日、感想などを定期的にまとめた記録。

dry spell

「不調な期間」「何かが長く途絶えている時期」。
本文では、本をほとんど読まなかった2年以上の期間を表す。

be absorbed in

「～に夢中になる」「～に没頭する」。
“Even when I was absorbed in manga” で、「漫画にはまっていた頃でさえ」という意味。

in its own way

「それなりに」「それ独自の形で」。
ほかのものと同じではないが、それ自体の価値や特徴があることを表す。

run dry

「干上がる」「枯渇する」。
水がなくなるという本来の意味から、感情、発想、資金などが尽きる場合にも使われる。

thirst

名詞では「喉の渇き」、動詞では「渇望する」。
ここでは、心が再び読書を求め始めた状態を、水を求める感覚に重ねている。

pick up a book

直訳は「本を手に取る」。
実際に本を持つだけでなく、「本を読み始める」という意味でも使われる。

reservoir

「貯水池」「貯水槽」。
本文では、過去の読書から得た感情や思考を心の中に蓄えておく場所の比喩。

two years’ worth

「2年分の量」。
“two years’ worth of water” のように、ある期間に相当する量を表す。

richly rewarding

「非常に味わい深い」「得るものが多い」。
派手ではなくても、読むことで深い満足や思索が得られる作品を表現できる。

upper classes

「上流階級」。
社会的、経済的に高い地位にある人々を指す。

distinctions

「区別」「差異」。
本文では、人間を上位と下位に分ける社会的な区分を意味する。

universality

「普遍性」。
時代、文化、個人差を超えて、あらゆる人に共通すると考えられる性質。

reflect on

「～についてじっくり考える」「～を振り返る」。
単に考えるだけでなく、静かに深く思いを巡らせるニュアンスがある。

conversational partner

「会話相手」。
AIを単なる検索や作業の道具ではなく、対話を行う相手として表現している。

a sense of crisis

「危機感」。
何か重大な問題や危険が迫っていると感じること。

salvation

「救い」「救済」。
宗教的な意味を持つ言葉だが、ここでは不安や行き詰まりから抜け出すための答えという意味。

stand frozen before

「～を前にして立ちすくむ」。
強い恐れや戸惑いによって、どう行動すべきかわからなくなる様子。

an elevated air

「高尚そうな雰囲気」「格調高く見える印象」。
実際に内容が深いとは限らず、外見上そう感じられるという含みがある。

toss in

「気軽に放り込む」「適当に加える」。
ここでは、宗教や哲学に関係する単語を深く理解せずに質問へ入れることを批判的に表している。

deprive someone of something

「人から何かを奪う」。
“AI may deprive humanity of the chance...” で、「AIが人類から機会を奪うかもしれない」という意味。

 

#pathologist #Kamakura #ReadingLog #BookReview #BookMeter #JulyReads #ReadingLife #Books #Literature #GuyDeMaupassant #BouleDeSuif #GenerativeAI #ArtificialIntelligence #Philosophy #HumanExistence  

A Glass When I Wake Up, Another Before I Leave

In Japan’s increasingly severe summer heat, drinking enough water is no longer a minor health precaution. A quiet early-morning walk in Kamakura also reminds me of both the wonder of nature and its frightening power.

A glass when I wake up, and another before I leave.

And no, I am not talking about alcohol.

During this season of extreme heat, staying hydrated is essential for preventing heatstroke. 

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is drink a glass of water.

It replaces some of the fluid lost while I was asleep.

 

Then, before taking my dog out for her morning walk, I drink another glass.

Even at five in the morning, the temperature is already above 25 degrees Celsius, and the air is hot and humid.

Heatstroke prevention is no longer something we can treat lightly.

Rather than assuming that we will be fine, we need to make a conscious effort to drink enough water.

Even so, walking through the morning mist feels good.

As I walk through the nearly deserted streets and look up at the green hills surrounding Kamakura, I find myself reflecting on what a miraculous place this planet Earth truly is.

Yet nature, which gives us so many blessings, sometimes reveals its terrifying power.

While feeling grateful for the miracle of this world, I am also reminded once again of the fearsome reality of natural disasters through the recent Kumamoto earthquake.

Nature sustains our lives, but it also reminds us how fragile those lives can be.

・・・

stay hydrated
To maintain enough water in the body by drinking sufficient fluids.
十分な水分を摂り、体内の水分を保つこと。

heatstroke
A serious medical condition caused by the body becoming dangerously hot.
体温が危険なほど上昇することで起こる重篤な熱中症。

treat something lightly
To regard something as less serious or important than it really is.
物事を実際より軽く考えること。軽視すること。

make a conscious effort
To deliberately try to do something while paying attention to it.
意識して努力すること。

morning mist
A thin layer of water droplets in the air during the early morning.
朝方に空気中に漂う細かな水滴。朝靄。

nearly deserted
Having very few people present.
人がほとんどいない。閑散とした。

reflect on
To think carefully and deeply about something.
何かについてじっくり考える。思いを巡らせる。

sustain
To support or maintain life, existence, or activity.
生命や存在を支え、維持する。

fragile
Easily damaged, broken, or destroyed.
壊れやすい、もろい、はかない。

#Kamakura #MorningWalk #DogWalking #HeatstrokePrevention #StayHydrated #SummerInJapan #Nature #KumamotoEarthquake #DailyReflections #Pathologist

Thinking of Animals Affected by Disaster — Reflections on the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake

As communities recover from the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, it is easy to focus on human suffering alone. Yet countless companion animals also face fear, injury, separation, and uncertainty. This reflection considers our responsibility to protect the animals who share our lives when disaster strikes.

Three days have passed since the powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture. As the full extent of the damage gradually becomes clear, concerns continue to grow over aftershocks and secondary disasters.

This morning, I took Anne for our usual walk, and I found myself wondering how the dogs in Kumamoto are doing.

Some may have been injured. Some may still be trapped inside damaged buildings. Others may have become separated from their families.

And of course, it is not only dogs. There are also cats, birds, fish, and many other companion animals.

Unlike wild animals, they depend almost entirely on people.

Thinking of those that are injured, hungry, frightened, or simply waiting for their families fills me with sadness.

I do not intend to turn this into the pointless argument that people should not keep pets in the first place.

Animals share our lives, comfort us, and enrich our daily existence.

What they give us cannot easily be replaced.

That is precisely why they deserve to be treated with care and respect.

Earthquakes are natural disasters. As long as we live on this planet, they cannot be completely avoided.

Especially in a country like Japan, where natural disasters are part of life, living with animals also means accepting the responsibility to protect them.

When disaster strikes, what should we do? How should we evacuate?

We should think not only about ourselves, but also about them—as members of our own family—and prepare long before an emergency occurs.

When disaster comes, we must ask not only how to protect ourselves, but also how to protect the animals who depend on us.

 

・・・

companion animal
An animal that lives with people as a pet or companion.
伴侶動物、家庭で飼われる動物

aftershock
A smaller earthquake that follows a larger one.
余震

secondary disaster
Additional damage or danger occurring after the main disaster.
二次災害

evacuate
To leave a dangerous place and move to safety.
避難する

depend on
To rely on someone or something for support or survival.
〜に頼る、依存する

compassion
Sympathetic concern for the suffering of others.
思いやり、慈しみ

responsibility
A duty or obligation to care for someone or something.
責任

prepare
To make plans or take action in advance for a future event.
備える、準備する

#KumamotoEarthquake #CompanionAnimals #DisasterPreparedness #AnimalWelfare #pathologist　#Kamakura

You Decide How Much Your Work Is Worth

A quiet weekday walk through Kamakura leads me to reflect on busyness, responsibility, reward, and who ultimately decides the value of the work we do.

This morning, unusually for a weekday, I took Anne out for her walk.

Compared with the streets packed with people on weekends, there were hardly any people around.

Even Komachi Street looked almost unreal without its usual crowds.

Before six in the morning, the lotus flowers were in full bloom.

There were a few clouds in the sky, making it a comfortable morning for walking.

 

After walking for just under an hour, I washed away the sweat in last night’s bathwater before leaving for work.

I deeply appreciated the simple happiness of being able to soak leisurely in a bath.

At the same time, I found myself thinking about the importance of keeping water in the bathtub in case the water supply is cut off.

In any case, today will be another busy day.

So busy that I may finally understand what people mean when they say their head is spinning.

Then again, calling myself busy merely reflects my own standards.

As long as human beings are alive, they are always doing something, and there is no absolute standard by which busyness can be measured.

Even among the things we call work, some carry a great deal of responsibility, while others perhaps do not require us to feel quite so responsible.

Even walking a dog can be someone’s job.

Was my walk with Anne this morning work?

No, it was not.

Did it make me busier?

No, not really.

In the earthquake-stricken areas of Kumamoto, rescue dogs are standing by, ready to search for people.

Once called into action, they too will be risking their lives and doing their utmost.

Those dogs perform important work as well.

No one can decide uniformly how much value a particular job has.

Even the same task may hold a different value for each person, depending on how they understand it and how much responsibility they bring to it.

We are not always paid in proportion to the work we do.

But payment alone does not determine the value of that work.

Human beings question the meaning of their own existence.

When we do, work is one of the things that can give meaning to our lives.

It does not necessarily have to be something highly regarded by society.

Helping someone.

Protecting something.

Properly carrying out something we have undertaken.

How much value lies in such small acts?

In the end, we are the ones who decide.

And perhaps we are also entitled to call them work.

The value of work is not determined by reward or recognition alone, but by the meaning and responsibility we ourselves bring to it.

・・・

weekday
A day from Monday to Friday, usually considered a working day.
平日、ウィークデイ

hardly any
Almost none; very few.
ほとんどない、ごくわずか

in full bloom
At the stage when flowers are completely open.
満開で

wash away the sweat
To remove sweat by washing or bathing.
汗を洗い流す

soak in a bath
To sit or lie in bathwater for some time.
湯船にゆっくり浸かる

water supply
The system that provides water to homes and buildings.
給水、水道供給

one’s head is spinning
To feel overwhelmed, confused, or extremely busy.
目が回る、頭が混乱する

absolute standard
A fixed standard that does not depend on personal opinion or circumstances.
絶対的な基準

carry responsibility
To involve a duty for which someone is accountable.
責任を伴う

stand by
To remain ready to act when needed.
待機する

call into action
To order or require someone or something to begin working.
出動させる、行動を開始させる

in proportion to
In a corresponding or fair relationship to something else.
〜に比例して、〜に見合って

recognition
Public appreciation or acknowledgment of someone’s work or achievements.
評価、称賛、承認

carry out
To complete or perform a task or duty.
実行する、果たす

 

#ValueOfWork #MeaningfulWork #DailyReflections #LifeInJapan #pathologist

A Continuous World Filled with Disconnected Realities

A powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan, while people elsewhere in the country celebrated a professional baseball All-Star Game. In today’s information society, distant events reach us instantly, yet they can still feel strangely disconnected from our own lives. This contrast raises an important question: Has information made humanity more connected—or more aware of our separateness?

Yesterday, another major earthquake struck Kumamoto in southwestern Japan.

It measured magnitude 7.1 and reached Shindo 7, the highest level on Japan’s seismic intensity scale.

After the earthquake, a large explosion occurred at a shopping mall. The cause has not yet been determined, and rescue operations are still ongoing.

Sadly, lives have been lost. My deepest condolences go to the victims and their families.

All of this is happening during an exceptionally hot summer, and I cannot help but worry about the health and well-being of those affected.

My smartphone keeps sending notifications about aftershocks, while television stations continue broadcasting earthquake coverage almost without interruption.

Yet between those reports come “Other News” and “Today’s Sports.”

On the screen, thousands of fans were passionately cheering during yesterday’s professional baseball All-Star Game at the Tokyo Dome.

Kumamoto and Tokyo are both part of the same country.

Although they are separated by distance, they are connected as parts of Japan.

Yet a simple change of channel—or even a change of scene—makes them feel like entirely different worlds.

In one region, people struggle with disaster.

In another, people celebrate a sporting event.

Where we are determines how we experience the same moment in time.

I have heard that many people living in western Japan found it difficult to fully grasp the reality of the Great East Japan Earthquake while it was unfolding.

Perhaps this earthquake, too, feels distant and somehow unreal to those living far from the affected area.

This is not unique to Japan.

The same thing happens across the world.

Earthquakes, typhoons, wildfires, heatwaves, and countless other natural disasters occur somewhere on our planet every day.

Although they all happen on the same Earth, they often seem to exist in a different dimension from where we ourselves live.

Long ago, travelers carried news from distant places.

Today, images and information reach us almost instantly.

That allows rescue efforts to begin more quickly and helps people around the world understand what has happened.

Yet it also creates another feeling.

As fellow human beings, we want to do something.

But often, there is nothing we can do.

That helplessness can be surprisingly painful.

Information has undoubtedly brought the world closer together.

Yet perhaps, by bringing distant events so close, it has also made us more aware of the distance that still remains between ourselves and those events.

Has the information age made humanity more connected?

Or has it simply revealed how disconnected our experiences truly are?

Perhaps the greatest paradox of the information age is that the closer the world appears, the more clearly we see the distances that still separate us.

・・・

aftershock
A smaller earthquake that follows a larger one.
余震

seismic intensity
A measure of how strongly the ground shakes at a specific location.
震度

magnitude
A measure of the energy released by an earthquake.
マグニチュード

rescue operation
Organized efforts to save people during or after a disaster.
救助活動

disconnected
Separated or lacking a meaningful connection.
分断された、不連続な

unfold
To happen or develop gradually.
展開する、進行する

helplessness
The feeling of being unable to help or change a situation.
無力感

paradox
A situation that seems contradictory but may contain truth.
パラドックス、逆説

#Japan #Earthquake #InformationSociety #HumanNature #pathologist

What’s Inside My Heavy Bag

A long commute requires preparation. My bag is now packed with a laptop, water bottle, umbrella, and countless small necessities—each added for a reason, and none easily left behind.

The other day, I wrote about buying a larger-than-usual parasol.

It really is large.

Its size makes it rather cumbersome to carry around, but I bought it for a reason, and above all, it works extremely well. So I keep it in my bag and take it with me.

My previous umbrella was a short, rain-only umbrella, so small that I sometimes forgot it was even in my bag.

Even when I tried to use it as a sunshade, the area it covered was extremely limited.

This new one, however, completely covers the shadow of my body on the ground, even under the blazing sun.

After walking through the intense sunlight, I enter a building and close the umbrella. Feeling how much heat the umbrella itself has absorbed makes me realize just how hot it was outside.

Then there are the sudden evening showers.

These days, when it rains, it often pours.

A small umbrella does not feel particularly reassuring in such weather.

I have to admit that, in this case, bigger really is better.

And so, another useful item has joined the contents of my bag.

The bag, however, is becoming rather full.

And it was already heavy to begin with.

The greatest contributor to its weight, despite its modest size, is undoubtedly my MacBook Air, which weighs 1.24 kilograms.

Then there is another keyboard that I place over the laptop keyboard to reduce typing noise on the train, along with chargers and cables.

Altogether, the computer-related equipment probably weighs around two kilograms.

Then comes the water bottle.

My commute takes two hours each way.

There is no telling what might happen along the way, and at this time of year, carrying water is also essential for preventing heatstroke.

Five hundred milliliters of water alone weighs 500 grams, plus the weight of the bottle itself.

Then there are all the other things.

Pens and a pencil case, a hairbrush, nail clippers, emergency medication, a reusable shopping bag, keys, a shoehorn, my ID card, a wallet, and a coin purse.

The bag itself is not particularly light, either.

If my main bag is the primary residence, it also has an annex.

The annex is a handbag made by my wife.

It contains my lunch, a snack for when I get a little hungry, and disinfectant wipes.

This combination of belongings has been refined through many years of commuting.

Take away any one of them, and I would probably find myself inconvenienced.

My late father used to leave home without a key because my mother was there.

That is, well, difficult for me to imagine.

The other small items also have a way of becoming necessary at unexpected moments.

The parasol and water bottle are now absolute necessities.

What did humans carry with them when they lived as hunters?

They must have taken clubs, bows, arrows, and other equipment.

In other words, they too walked around carrying a fair amount of weight.

Seen that way, perhaps there is nothing particularly strange about my carrying a heavy load through modern society.

Humans have always carried whatever they needed to get through the day.

When I look around, I see many people, both men and women, walking with surprisingly large bags.

I sometimes find myself wondering what they are carrying inside.

Every heavy bag may contain a small history of the life its owner has learned to prepare for.

・・・

cumbersome
Difficult to carry, use, or manage because of its size or weight.
大きさや重さのため、持ち運びや扱いが厄介な。

sunshade
Something used to protect a person or place from direct sunlight.
直射日光を避けるための日除け。

blazing sun
Extremely strong and hot sunlight.
照りつける強い日差し、炎天下。

sudden shower
A brief period of rain that begins unexpectedly.
突然降り出す雨、にわか雨。

reassuring
Making someone feel safer, calmer, or less worried.
安心感を与える、心強い。

contributor to its weight
Something that adds significantly to the total weight.
全体の重さを増している要因。

refined through many years
Gradually improved or selected through long experience.
長年の経験を通じて洗練された、絞り込まれた。

absolute necessity
Something that is completely essential and cannot easily be omitted.
絶対に欠かせないもの、必需品。

get through the day
To manage or cope with the demands of a day.
一日を何とか過ごす、乗り切る。

#DailyLife #Commuting #WhatIsInMyBag #ModernLife #pathologist