The Rise of the Sports Industry and the Role of Ordinary People

Spain’s World Cup victory brought the tournament to a dramatic close, but the final revealed more than athletic excellence. It also exposed the growing entanglement of sports, entertainment, enormous wealth, political power, and the emotions of ordinary people.

The FIFA World Cup came to an end with Spain’s victory.

Perhaps because so many celebrities appeared, the halftime break reportedly lasted nearly thirty minutes.

Thanks to that, even after returning from my walk with Anne, I was still able to see the winning goal in extra time.

Throughout the final, I was confronted with various elements that make up America today: sports, entertainment, ticket reselling, and much more.

Sports appeal directly to human emotions, and many people devote their entire lives to them.

No one would die if soccer did not exist. Nor would anyone die if baseball disappeared.

No matter how fast a human being can run, we cannot outrun a horse. Nor can we leap as high as a bird can fly.

That does not mean I consider sports worthless. Still, I cannot help wondering what we should make of their present form, now that they have been taken to such extremes by commercialism.

The sports industry has grown enormous, and vast numbers of people are involved in it.

Quite a few athletes earn immense fortunes from it.

When I was younger, I too frequently bought sports newspapers and enjoyed reading about my favorite players and teams.

Even a single sports newspaper was part of a major industry, and television news programs still retain their regular sports segments today.

Since the days of ancient Rome, ordinary people have been given sports as entertainment and have become passionately absorbed in them.

Perhaps the same tradition has simply continued into the present.

That is precisely why the boundary between sports and politics must remain clear.

And yet, that boundary now seems to be becoming little more than a formality.

Am I the only one who feels that people are being manipulated by all this, ceasing to question it, abandoning independent thought, and gradually being reduced to an unthinking public?

The greater the spectacle becomes, the more carefully we must ask who is creating it—and why we are being encouraged to watch.

・・・

come to an end
To finish or reach its conclusion.
終わる、幕を閉じる

winning goal
The goal that determines which team wins a match.
決勝点、勝利を決めるゴール

extra time
An additional period played when a match is tied after the regular playing time.
延長戦

be confronted with
To be made to face or recognize something difficult or striking.
～を突きつけられる、～に直面する

appeal to human emotions
To strongly affect people’s feelings.
人間の感情に訴える

devote one’s life to something
To give a great deal of time, energy, and commitment to something.
～に人生を捧げる

commercialism
The excessive emphasis on making money, sometimes at the expense of other values.
商業主義、営利を過度に重視する考え方

immense fortune
An extremely large amount of wealth.
莫大な財産、巨額の富

be passionately absorbed in
To be deeply and enthusiastically involved in something.
～に熱狂する、夢中になる

little more than a formality
Something that remains in appearance but has lost much of its real meaning or function.
形だけのもの、形骸化したもの

be manipulated by
To be controlled or influenced, often without fully realizing it.
～に操られる、翻弄される

independent thought
The ability to form one’s own judgments rather than simply accepting what others say.
自立した思考、自分自身で考えること

#SportsIndustry #WorldCup #Commercialism #IndependentThinking #pathologist

Another Day Off — I’ll Take It Easy

A humid early-morning walk with Anne, a World Cup final, and a Dodgers victory made for an unexpectedly eventful start to a public holiday. Still, some days are best spent doing as little as possible.

I woke up early again this morning to take Anne for a walk.

The World Cup final was supposed to be on television from four in the morning.

Then I suddenly wondered how the Dodgers were doing. When I checked online, I saw that Yamamoto was pitching very well, so I hurriedly turned on the television.

Unfortunately, perhaps because it was the first game of a doubleheader hastily arranged after the previous day’s rainout, I was unable to watch him complete his impressive victory.

I am not particularly interested in soccer, so I took Anne out for her walk.

My wife, incidentally, chose soccer.

 

Even without my wife beside me, I still greet people.

As I walked, I said, “Good morning,” even to people who might have thought the greeting unnecessary.

It would probably be more difficult if I were simply a middle-aged man walking alone. With “cute” Anne beside me, however, it is easy.

Many of the other dog owners know Anne, at least, and I would rather not appear unfriendly and be compared unfavorably with my much more sociable wife.

There was no wind, and the morning was oppressively humid.

 

So, when I met other people walking their dogs, I went a little beyond the usual greeting and said,

“It is hot, isn’t it? The humidity is terrible today.”

I assumed that anyone who walks a dog every morning would also notice that the humidity was worse than it had been the day before.

I had intended to include a few uphill and downhill stretches in our walk again this morning.

But Anne began panting heavily and drooling, so I cut the walk a little shorter than usual and returned home.

By the time I got back, the World Cup final had gone into extra time.

Soon after the second half of extra time began, I was able to watch Spain score an extraordinary goal.

There is little point in becoming too anxious about manuscripts, conferences, and everything else.

Today is Marine Day, and since it is a holiday, I have decided to spend the rest of the day taking it easy.

A day off should sometimes be allowed to remain exactly that—a day off.

・・・

doubleheader
Two games played by the same teams on the same day.
同じ日に同じチーム同士が2試合行うこと、ダブルヘッダー

rainout
The cancellation or postponement of an outdoor event because of rain.
雨天中止

incidentally
Used when adding a related but less important piece of information.
ちなみに、ついでに言えば

be compared unfavorably with
To be judged as worse than another person or thing.
〜と比べて見劣りすると判断される

oppressively humid
Uncomfortably and heavily humid.
息苦しいほど蒸し暑い

go beyond the usual greeting
To say more than a simple hello.
普通の挨拶より少し踏み込んで話す

pant heavily
To breathe quickly and deeply, especially because of heat or exercise.
激しく息をする、あえぐ

take it easy
To relax and avoid unnecessary effort or stress.
のんびり過ごす、無理をしない

#MarineDay #DogWalking #SummerInJapan #TakingItEasy #pathologist

When It Comes to Greetings, I’ll Go First

A simple greeting can make an ordinary walk feel warmer and more human. On a summer morning by the sea, I was reminded that sometimes all it takes is for one person to speak first.

Perhaps the rainy season has finally ended. The sky is a brilliant blue, and the breeze feels pleasant.

As long as I stay out of the direct sunlight, the heat is still bearable.

 

I took Anne to the beach, and although it was early in the morning, there were already many people there.

It had been a while since we had gone all the way to the sea. Rows of temporary beach huts had been built, making me feel that summer had truly arrived.

While walking, I greet the people we pass.

In Japan, people do not often exchange greetings with strangers. My wife, however, greets almost everyone, and recently I have begun to do the same.

Hardly anyone greets me first, but when I speak to them, they usually respond.

Perhaps that is enough.

 

I also speak to foreign tourists.

They often seem unexpectedly pleased and reply warmly.

My English is far from fluent, so I speak only in simple phrases. Most of them are not native English speakers either, however, so we somehow manage to understand one another.

I once asked a tourist where he was from. I thought he said Australia, so I said,

“It is winter there now, so the Japanese heat must be difficult for you.”

He corrected me and said that he was from Austria.

“Europe is hot too,” he replied, and we continued talking for a little while.

For a moment, I felt like a grassroots goodwill ambassador.

Still, I wished I had immediately thought to ask,

“Are you from Vienna or Salzburg?”

The conversation might have become a little more enjoyable.

I still have a long way to go when it comes to saying the right thing at the right moment.

Greetings make people feel better, and they can also help make a neighborhood safer.

That is why, rather than simply waiting for others to greet me, I would like to keep taking the initiative myself.

Sometimes a small connection begins with nothing more than one person deciding to say hello first.

 

・・・

bearable
Able to be accepted or endured, even if it is not comfortable.
耐えられる、我慢できる

exchange greetings
To say hello or offer polite words to one another.
挨拶を交わす

far from fluent
Not able to speak a language smoothly or skillfully.
流暢とはほど遠い

grassroots
Starting from ordinary people rather than from governments or large organizations.
草の根の、一般市民による

goodwill ambassador
A person who informally promotes friendship and mutual understanding between people or countries.
親善大使

take the initiative
To act first instead of waiting for someone else to act.
率先して行動する

say the right thing at the right moment
To choose words that are suitable and thoughtful for a particular situation.
その場にふさわしい気の利いたことを言う

Anne Is a Tsundere—but Why?

Anne never rushes to greet me when I come home. She keeps her distance at first, but the moment our eyes meet, her hidden affection comes pouring out. Watching her makes me wonder how much we can truly understand about the feelings of dogs.

Even when I come home, Anne does not immediately run up and jump on me.

She watches me from a little distance.

Sometimes, if I do not notice her, she simply stays where she is.

She acts as though she is not interested in me. But the moment I notice her and our eyes meet, her tail starts wagging wildly. Then, when I sit down beside her, she licks my entire face.

Anne must be a tsundere.

I am sure she is not the kind of dog who wags her tail and immediately becomes friendly with just anyone.

The day before yesterday, she seemed to realize that I had been away from home. Perhaps she had missed me. Her aloof side was stronger than usual, and afterward, so was her affectionate side.

That makes me wonder: Why do dogs wag their tails? Why do they lick people’s faces?

It is strange when you stop to think about it.

We can never truly know what animals are thinking—not only dogs, but any animal.

AI has advanced, and it sometimes seems as though we are becoming able to understand almost anything. Still, what AI can understand may ultimately be limited to the world that humans have recorded and explained.

Even AI cannot truly know what is going on inside Anne’s heart.

No matter how much we think we understand the world, there are still many things we do not know.

And so, I keep watching Anne’s tail and the look in her eyes, imagining what she might be feeling.

 

・・・

rush to greet someone
急いで人を出迎える

keep one’s distance
距離を置く、少し離れている

act as though ...
まるで〜であるかのように振る舞う

wag one’s tail
しっぽを振る

lick someone’s face
人の顔を舐める

tsundere
最初は冷たく振る舞うが、後になると愛情を見せる人やキャラクター

aloof
よそよそしい、そっけない

affectionate
愛情深い、甘えるような

miss someone
人がいなくて寂しく思う

when you stop to think about it
よく考えてみると

ultimately
最終的には、突き詰めれば

be limited to ...
〜に限られている

what is going on inside someone’s heart
人の心の中で何が起きているか

fully understand
完全に理解する

#pathologist
#DogBehavior
#LifeWithDogs
#AnimalEmotions
#AIAndHumanity 

Blogging as a Strange Human Endeavor

Why do we continue writing when we do not know who is reading—or whether our words are useful at all? Reflecting on life, death, and the uncertainty of existence, I find myself wondering what this daily act of blogging really means.

From the moment we are born, each of us is alone, and we remain alone until the day we die.

A living being exists as a single individual, and every living being must eventually die.

No one knows when they will die or what will happen before that time comes.

Something sudden and unexpected can happen to anyone.

We need to be prepared for that possibility to some extent, and when we realize that death is approaching, we make preparations for it.

How to preserve and prolong life is something like a fundamental human concern.

Is continuing to live not the greatest purpose of human existence?

Some people end their own lives, but perhaps that is because they have been driven into a situation in which living can no longer feel like a meaningful purpose.

Were that burden somehow removed, would not many of them choose to live?

Because people naturally believe that what they themselves think is right, it is easy to make general statements about how life should be lived.

I do not yet think very much about my own death.

And yet, this year’s medical checkup might reveal cancer somewhere in my body, or I might lose my footing on a railway platform.

Even without a serious illness or major accident, life can hang by a thread.

Once, while I was dozing on an airplane, a piece of luggage fell from the overhead compartment. It narrowly missed me, and I felt that I had escaped with my life.

There is little point in spending every day thinking only about such possibilities, so in the end, I go on living while thinking about all sorts of other things.

But what exactly is this daily act of thinking?

I do not really understand it myself.

Does it contribute anything to the world?

Sometimes I cannot help thinking that it serves no purpose whatsoever.

Then why do I continue every day?

The question merely goes around in circles.

What lies beyond this strange dialogue between me and unseen readers through my blog?

As I continue wondering about that, I speak each day with you—someone whose face I cannot see—about living and about life itself.

That in itself is a strange human endeavor.

Perhaps blogging is the act of placing one solitary life beside another, without ever knowing exactly who is there.

・・・

individual
一個の個体。一つの独立した存在。

eventually
最終的には、いつかは。

to some extent
ある程度まで。

preserve life
命を守る、生命を維持する。

fundamental concern
根本的な関心事、重要な命題。

be driven into a situation
ある状況へ追い詰められる。

hang by a thread
「糸一本でつながっている」の意から、非常に危うい状態にある。

overhead compartment
飛行機や列車の頭上にある荷物収納棚。

escape with one’s life
命拾いをする。

go around in circles
議論や思考が堂々巡りになる。

unseen reader
姿の見えない読者。

endeavor
努力を伴う営み、試み。ここでは単なる「活動」よりも、継続的で意味を探る行為を表す。

#Blogging #LifeAndDeath #PersonalReflection #JapaneseBlog #Coloken

Morioka Was Extremely Hot, but Memorable in Its Own Way

After giving a lecture in Morioka, I spent the afternoon exploring the city on foot. Morioka is known for its history, architecture, local food, and relaxed atmosphere—but on that particular day, the summer heat nearly overwhelmed everything else.

I had been invited to give a lecture in Morioka.

I hesitated a little because it seemed rather far away, but since it was a rare chance to visit Morioka for the first time, I decided to accept.

The lecture finished before noon, leaving me free for the afternoon.

With several hours before my Shinkansen departed, I decided to walk around the city.

Iwate is the largest of Japan’s prefectures, so I had imagined that Morioka itself would also be very spread out.

In fact, however, most of the notable places were located within a relatively compact area.

Starting from Morioka Station, I crossed the Kitakami River, passed through Morioka Castle Ruins Park, continued as far as Morioka Hachimangu Shrine, and then walked all the way back.

 I had grown tired of the recent hot and humid weather in Kamakura, so I was pleased when Morioka felt slightly cooler as I stepped out of the station the previous evening.

But during the daytime, Morioka was extremely hot.

Unbelievably so.

The humidity may have been slightly lower than in Kamakura, but it was still very hot.

After eating Morioka’s famous reimen cold noodles for lunch, I set off on my walk.

Soon after I started, however, I developed a headache.

Thinking that this might be an early warning sign of heatstroke, I kept drinking water from my bottle as I made my way toward the castle ruins.

The stone walls were remarkably large, suggesting that a magnificent castle must once have stood there.

The water in my bottle was clearly not going to be enough, so I stopped at a convenience store, drank a sports drink, and cooled down for a while.

I asked one of the staff members which places were worth visiting, and then set off again.

 

Morioka became widely known after being featured second, following London, in The New York Times list “52 Places to Go in 2023.”

Apparently, the city was praised for three main reasons.

First, it does not have the crowds of a major metropolis, making it possible to explore slowly on foot.

Second, its natural surroundings, including Morioka Castle Ruins Park, blend beautifully with Western-influenced Japanese architecture from the Meiji and Taisho eras, such as the Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building.

Third, Morioka has a distinctive local culture, including foods such as wanko soba and reimen—the latter being what I ate—as well as long-established coffee shops and bookstores loved by local residents.

I did not pass anyone who was obviously a foreign tourist.

Then again, in such intense heat, few people would feel inclined to walk around outside.

Perhaps I simply did not encounter anyone quite as foolish as I was.

 

The New York Times may indeed have been right in describing Morioka as a city with a distinctive and deeply appealing character.

Unfortunately, it was simply too hot to appreciate those qualities properly.

The next time I visit, I should choose a cooler season and travel by car so that I can also explore some of Iwate Prefecture’s other scenic destinations.

Some cities are best appreciated slowly—and preferably in cooler weather.

・・・ 

lecture
A formal talk given to an audience, often at a university, conference, or professional meeting.
講演、講義。

spread out
Covering a wide geographical area rather than being concentrated in one place.
広範囲に広がっている。

notable
Important, interesting, or worthy of attention.
注目すべき、見る価値のある。

heatstroke
A serious medical condition caused by the body becoming dangerously overheated.
熱中症。

castle ruins
The remains of a castle that no longer exists in its original form.
城跡。

set off
To begin a journey or start going somewhere.
出発する、歩き始める。

Western-influenced Japanese architecture
Japanese architecture incorporating elements of Western design.
西洋建築の影響を受けた日本建築、和洋折衷建築。

long-established
Having existed and operated for many years.
老舗の、長年続いている。

distinctive
Having a special quality that makes something clearly different from others.
独特の、特色のある。

scenic destination
A place known for attractive natural scenery.
景勝地、自然の美しい観光地。

#Morioka #Iwate #JapanTravel #LifeInJapan #pathologist

The Paths That Lead Young People into Crime—and Where They End Up

Why do some young people become involved in organized fraud and violent crime? Japan’s increasingly sophisticated criminal networks reveal how easily vulnerable young adults can be recruited, threatened, and trapped.

The sky remains stubbornly overcast.

Apparently, Typhoon No. 9 is partly to blame. The temperature and humidity continue to rise, leaving us exhausted day after day.

Lately, even Anne has been reluctant to go out for her walks.

When a dog no longer wants to go for a walk, the weather must be truly extraordinary.

Today, once again, there was news that several members of a tokuryu group had been arrested.

Tokuryu is a Japanese abbreviation for “anonymous and fluid criminal groups.” Unlike traditional organized crime syndicates with fixed memberships and clear hierarchies, these groups recruit people loosely and often anonymously through social media.

Their members can broadly be divided into perpetrators, recruiters, controllers, and ringleaders. Apparently, their roles are actually much more specialized, including people who gather personal information, find potential criminal jobs, and act as intermediaries.

I do not know exactly how they choose their targets.

Still, there appear to be many people in the world who possess things that are almost unimaginable to an ordinary person like me—people who carry hundreds of millions of yen overseas, for example, or who keep gold bullion at home.

It is apparently such people who become targets.

In 2025, losses from special fraud in Japan exceeded 140 billion yen, the highest figure ever recorded.

That means nearly 400 million yen was stolen every single day.

Young people around the age of twenty are often arrested as the on-site perpetrators in tokuryu crimes or as kakeko—the callers who telephone victims in organized fraud schemes.

Some of them apparently hand over their personal information without fully understanding the consequences. Once the criminal group has obtained their names, addresses, photographs, family details, or identity documents, they may be threatened and gradually pulled deeper into crime.

By the time they want to turn back, they may feel that escape is no longer possible.

Once they commit a crime, they may be tormented by guilt for the rest of their lives.

And once arrested and imprisoned, they may lose many precious years of their youth.

Even a single year is significant. Society now changes so rapidly that, upon release, they may feel like Urashima Taro.

Urashima Taro is the hero of an old Japanese folktale. After spending what seems like only a short time in an undersea palace, he returns home to discover that many years have passed and the world he knew has disappeared.

At the same time, “paying for one’s crime” cannot truly restore what a victim has lost.

The offender and the victim may both have to carry the consequences for the rest of their lives.

Why do these young people become involved in such crimes?

Perhaps the causes were already present when they were very young.

Naturally, the circumstances will differ from one person to another.

But as they approach adulthood, someone may identify a weakness—loneliness, financial difficulty, low self-esteem, family problems, or a desire to belong—and use it to lead them onto a criminal path.

Had I been a young person living in today’s world, I have absolutely no confidence that I would have avoided every such trap.

When I was a student, there was a consumer finance company that issued credit cards even to young students.

I obtained one of those cards and soon found myself struggling with debt.

Eventually, I became unable to manage the repayments and had to ask my parents for help.

Before that happened, however, I sold many of the records I had carefully collected.

I still regret losing them.

Had I seen an advertisement on social media saying, “Easy job, good money,” I would probably at least have opened it.

And had someone skillfully guided me step by step, at an age when I did not fully understand the importance of protecting personal information, I too might have been caught in the net.

Young people today are surrounded by temptation, deception, and risk.

In that sense, I feel sorry for them.

I would like to say that those who were deceived and turned into criminals bear no responsibility.

But a crime remains a crime, and it cannot simply be excused.

So what can be done?

Schools and society as a whole must repeatedly teach young people about these dangers.

Yet merely telling them that something is dangerous may not be enough to protect them.

They need somewhere they can ask for help before they take the first criminal step.

And when a young person tries to escape, society must reach them before the criminal group pulls them back.

Perhaps that is how far we must be prepared to go.

Preventing youth crime requires more than punishment; it requires reaching young people before criminal networks do.

・・・

overcast
曇った、どんよりした
The sky is completely covered with clouds.

reluctant
気が進まない、渋々の
To be unwilling or hesitant to do something.

anonymous and fluid criminal groups
匿名・流動型犯罪グループ
Criminal networks whose members may not know one another and are recruited temporarily, often through social media.

perpetrator
実行犯、加害者
A person who carries out a crime or harmful act.

ringleader
首謀者、主犯格
The person who leads or organizes an illegal group or activity.

gold bullion
金塊、金地金
Gold in the form of bars or ingots, usually held as an asset.

special fraud
特殊詐欺
A Japanese law-enforcement term for organized fraud conducted without directly meeting the victim, often through telephone calls or online communication. It includes impersonation scams and fraudulent payment demands.

kakeko
かけ子
A Japanese criminal slang term for a person who telephones victims as part of a fraud operation. The word comes from kakeru, meaning “to make a phone call.”

identity document
身分証明書
An official document used to prove someone’s identity, such as a passport or driver’s licence.

tormented by guilt
罪悪感に苦しめられる
To suffer emotionally because of remorse over something one has done.

Urashima Taro
浦島太郎
The hero of a Japanese folktale who returns home after a seemingly short absence and discovers that many years have passed. The expression is used for someone who feels left behind by changes in society.

consumer finance company
消費者金融会社
A company that lends money directly to individuals, often through personal loans or credit services.

caught in the net
罠にかかる、絡め取られる
A figurative expression meaning to become trapped in a scheme or difficult situation.

bear responsibility
責任を負う
To be considered accountable for an action or its consequences.

#YouthCrime #OnlineFraud #OrganizedCrime #JapaneseSociety #ColoKen

Stop Every Kind of Addiction!

The EU is considering stricter limits on children’s use of social media and digital devices. But addiction is not only a problem for children. Adults, too, are constantly being drawn into alcohol, smartphones, games, and social media.

I woke up close to dawn and could not get back to sleep. In the end, I had slept for only about four hours.

I had drunk two glasses of red wine again last night, so that may have had something to do with it.

In the morning, I firmly decide that I will not drink that evening. But once work is over and I finally relax, the conversation in my head begins.

“Maybe I’ll have one glass tonight.”

“But didn’t you just declare on your blog this morning that you wouldn’t?”

“Well, just one glass.”

And so it goes.

I sometimes think I am halfway to becoming dependent on alcohol. Perhaps the reason it does not occupy my mind all day is that I have work to do. In that sense, work may serve as a kind of breakwater protecting the rest of my life.

The European Union is reportedly considering measures to restrict children’s use of social media.

An expert panel has proposed that children under the age of three should not be exposed to smartphone or tablet screens, and that those under thirteen should be allowed limited use only under the supervision of parents, teachers, or other adults.

When I see a baby in a stroller completely absorbed in a tablet that has been handed over as a toy, I cannot help feeling that such measures may already be rather late.

Still, that does not mean we should simply stand by and do nothing.

Smartphones and tablets are double-edged swords. They are useful and often indispensable, but for children in particular, their more dangerous side cannot be ignored.

Sometimes I see a mother pushing a stroller while looking at her smartphone, as the baby inside plays with a tablet.

Scenes like this remind me that the risk of addiction exists at every age.

I am in no position to criticize young mothers. I myself became absorbed in Pokémon GO for a while, despite being old enough to know better.

Ordinary people have little chance of resisting the many forms of digital alchemy designed to capture our attention and turn it into money.

As an ordinary person who has used personal computers since their early days, I am no longer sure what exactly counts as social media.

Is a blog different from social media?

Where should we place a blog that actively encourages its readers to connect through social media?

Everything in the digital world has become so thoroughly mixed together that it is difficult to know where one thing ends and another begins.

Adults can, at least in theory, leave a platform when they realize that it is harming their state of mind.

In my case, I almost stopped using Facebook because I disliked the feeling of envying other people’s lives.

I found X too aggressive and exhausting, so I moved to Bluesky, a calmer social network, where I mostly post photographs of my lunch.

As for Pokémon GO, I simply lost interest one day.

Helping children avoid addiction is surely the right thing to do. Digital platforms should also be designed in ways that reduce, rather than encourage, compulsive use.

It would be convenient if someone could make my fondness for wine disappear in the same way.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to be so easy.

For now, I suppose my small consolation is that I have not yet seriously damaged my health.

We may be trying to protect children from addiction, but adults are hardly standing outside the same danger.

・・・

get back to sleep
再び眠りにつく。
“I woke up and could not get back to sleep.”

breakwater
防波堤。比喩的に、生活や心を守るものという意味でも使われる。

stand by and do nothing
何もせず傍観する。

double-edged sword
諸刃の剣。利益と危険の両方をもつもの。

be in no position to criticize
批判できる立場ではない。

digital alchemy
直訳すると「デジタルの錬金術」。ここでは、人の関心や時間を利益に変える仕組みを皮肉に表現している。

capture someone’s attention
人の注意を引きつけ、離さない。

compulsive use
自分で抑えることが難しい、強迫的な使用。

small consolation
わずかな慰め、せめてもの救い。

#DigitalAddiction #SocialMedia #AlcoholDependence #JapaneseDoctor #Pathology

When Will the Rainy Season Finally End?

The rainy season continues under gray skies, bringing oppressive heat and humidity. As concerns about heatstroke grow, so does the question of what each of us is actually doing about climate change.

Today again, the sky is overcast, with a light drizzle in the air.

It seems that this kind of weather will continue for a while, and I find myself wondering when the rainy season will finally come to an end.

This is exactly what hot and humid weather means.

Because sweat does not evaporate, body temperature simply continues to rise.

It is easy to understand how people can suffer from heatstroke even while sleeping.

Starting tonight, I should cut back on my evening drinks and make a conscious effort to stay hydrated.

Heatwaves have continued across Europe, and wildfires have occurred frequently.

What is going to happen to the Earth from here?

In recent years, that anxiety has grown every time the hot and humid season returns.

And yet, although I worry, I sometimes feel that I am not actually doing anything myself.

Each of us needs to take part in protecting the environment. Still, I tend to act only when someone tells me to, rather than taking the initiative.

Perhaps I should also encourage the people around me to think more about environmental protection. But because I am not actively doing enough myself, I end up saying nothing.

Instead of blaming other people, I need to think more seriously about how I myself am acting.

That was what crossed my mind as I felt sweat running down my cheek.

Concern about climate change means little unless it eventually changes the way we live.

 

・・・

overcast
曇った、空一面が雲に覆われた。

drizzle
霧雨、小雨。

hot and humid
高温多湿の、蒸し暑い。

evaporate
蒸発する。汗が蒸発することで、体温は下がりやすくなる。

heatstroke
熱中症。高温多湿の環境で体温調節がうまくいかなくなった状態。

cut back on
量を減らす、控える。

stay hydrated
十分に水分を取った状態を保つ。

take the initiative
自分から進んで行動する。

environmental protection
環境保護。

#RainySeason #ClimateChange #HeatstrokePrevention #JapaneseDoctor #Pathology

A Morning Walk and Heatstroke

Even before the rainy season officially ends, Japan’s humid summer heat begins to make itself felt. A simple early-morning walk can become a reminder of how easily heat exhaustion can develop.

The rainy season has not officially ended yet, but the rain has suddenly stopped.

In its place, the air has become increasingly hot and humid.

We went out for a walk before it became too hot.

Even before six in the morning, many people were already out walking, and we exchanged greetings as we passed.

We walked from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine through the area in front of Kamakura Station, then along Yuigahama-dori Avenue.

After circling around Rokujizo, we headed home.

 

It was cloudy today, and I thought we had gone out early enough. Even so, by the time we returned, Anne had her tongue out and was panting heavily.

I also had a slight headache.

I had felt a little strange the day before yesterday as well, so it was probably something like mild heat exhaustion.

I bought a sports drink along the way and made sure to rehydrate.

Vending machines are surprisingly useful at times like this.

Having machines filled with cash standing everywhere is something that is possible only in a country as safe as Japan.

Since they also accept electronic payments, having my smartphone with me was all I needed.

The risk of heatstroke varies from day to day and from person to person.

To everyone living through Japan’s hot summer, please take care.

Even an ordinary morning walk can become dangerous when heat and humidity quietly build up.

 

・・・

rainy season
梅雨。日本では通常、初夏に続く長雨の時期を指す。

hot and humid
蒸し暑い。気温だけでなく、湿度も高く不快な状態。

panting
犬などが体温を下げるために、舌を出して速く呼吸すること。

heat exhaustion
熱疲労、軽度の熱中症。頭痛、だるさ、めまいなどを伴うことがある。

rehydrate
失った水分を補給する。

vending machine
自動販売機。日本では飲料の自動販売機が街中に広く設置されている。

electronic payment
電子決済。スマートフォンや交通系ICカードなどを使った支払い。

#MorningWalk #HeatstrokePrevention #KamakuraLife #JapaneseDoctor #Pathology

Can Work Still Be Considered a Virtue?

As prices continue to rise faster than wages, many people feel that honest work no longer guarantees a stable life. Can labor still be called a virtue if it is not fairly rewarded?

The recent rise in prices has far outpaced wage growth, creating the sense that ordinary work alone is no longer enough to make ends meet.

A news report said that a single person now needs more than 200,000 yen a month just to cover basic living expenses.

Even after marriage, it may be difficult to maintain a household unless both partners work. And when children are born, the amount of time parents can spend with them becomes limited.

Under such circumstances, it is hardly surprising that some people may come to see raising children as more of a burden than a joy.

The poet Ishikawa Takuboku once wrote:

“Though I work and work,
my life grows no easier—
I stare at my hands.”

Today, however, this no longer seems to be Takuboku’s lament alone. It has become a feeling shared by many.

Meanwhile, some people acquire enormous wealth through financial products and rising asset values—sums vastly greater than anything most people could earn through ordinary employment.

Finance is, of course, an important part of the economy.

Even so, has the gap not grown too wide between income earned through work and profit generated by assets?

There was once a time when working hard and earning one’s living by the sweat of one’s brow was regarded as a virtue in itself.

But in a society where people can work diligently and still lack financial security or hope for the future, can we continue to describe work itself as a virtue?

For work to be considered a virtue, it must first be fairly rewarded.

Work cannot remain a virtue in a society that refuses to reward it.

 

・・・

make ends meet
To have just enough money to pay for ordinary living expenses.
生活費を何とかやりくりする。

far outpace
To increase or develop much faster than something else.
大きく上回る、はるかに速く進む。

maintain a household
To financially support and manage a home and family.
家庭を維持する。

lament
An expression of sadness, regret, or disappointment.
嘆き、悲しみの表現。

financial products
Investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other financial instruments.
株式、債券、投資信託などの金融商品。

asset values
The monetary worth of property, investments, or other possessions.
資産価値。

by the sweat of one’s brow
By working very hard, especially through physical effort.
額に汗して、懸命に働いて。

fairly rewarded
Given appropriate pay, recognition, or benefit for one’s effort.
努力に対して正当に報われる。

#WorkAndSociety #CostOfLiving #EconomicInequality #JapaneseDoctor #Pathology