Van Gogh’s Wilted Sunflowers

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers are often remembered for their vivid yellow color and powerful sense of life. Yet even wilted sunflowers can possess a quiet beauty, reminding us to cherish flowers—and perhaps life itself—until the very end.

When I came home, I found a vase of wilted sunflowers.

They looked strangely familiar, so I asked my wife,

“Van Gogh’s Sunflowers?”

“You noticed,” she said. “Yes, exactly.”

Instead of throwing the flowers away simply because they had wilted, she continued to cherish them until the very end.

Cut flowers have already given us their lives. Perhaps Van Gogh, too, wanted to appreciate their beauty through every stage of their existence, even as they began to fade.

 

Of course, he may have been thinking about something entirely different.

Still, being able to imagine the thoughts of a great painter made me feel a little happier.

Even a fading flower can open a quiet window into the heart of an artist.

・・・

wilted
萎れた。水分を失い、花や葉がしおれた状態を表します。

strangely familiar
どこかで見たことがあるような、不思議と見覚えのある。

cherish
大切にする、慈しむ。愛情をもって扱うという意味です。

cut flowers
切り花。茎を切って花瓶などに生ける花。

through every stage of their existence
存在のあらゆる段階を通して。咲いているときから萎れるまで、という意味合いです。

fade
色あせる、衰える。ここでは花の美しさや生命力が静かに失われていく様子を表します。

imagine the thoughts of
〜の思いに心を馳せる、〜が何を考えていたのか想像する。

How We Choose to Feel Throughout Our Lives

The way we feel upon waking can shape the course of an entire day. But perhaps our mood is not entirely beyond our control. A small physical gesture—such as lifting the corners of the mouth—may help us regain calm, and over time, such modest efforts may even influence how we experience the later years of life.

People say that a good beginning leads to a good ending, and it is certainly true that much of the mood of a day is determined by how we feel when we wake up.

If I have slept well, open the window to find a blue sky, and breathe in the fresh air, that alone seems enough to promise a pleasant day.

But when I have had an unpleasant dream, woken several times during the night, and am greeted by the gray skies of the rainy season, as I was this morning, I somehow cannot get going.

The thought of spending the entire day in such a mood makes me feel gloomy. So, to prevent that from happening, I would like to cheer myself up by writing something positive.

As someone suggested in a comment yesterday, lifting the corners of my mouth really does seem to make me feel calmer.

After a while, however, the muscles in my face grow tired, and when I stop, my mood begins to sink again.

Then I think, “Oh dear,” lift them once more, and find myself returning to a calmer state. It is a curious thing.

I would like to keep the corners of my mouth raised all day today, though I wonder whether that is really possible.

If I managed it, I might have a remarkably good day.

Every part of the body works in coordination with every other part.

The human body stops growing at around the age of thirty, and from then on, it gradually begins to decline.

Even so, each part of the body develops its own ability to adapt, continually trying to maintain a comfortable state.

Apart from illness, we continue aging in this way until we die. And I sometimes feel that how we spend those nearly fifty years may determine whether our lives become better ones—or otherwise.

Perhaps even my remaining years would improve a little if I could do something about this habitually stern expression of mine.

And if I could be smiling at the moment of death, then surely I could say, “All’s well that ends well.”

Perhaps a good life begins not with constant happiness, but with the quiet effort to return to a gentler state of mind.

・・・ 

shape the course of something
To strongly influence how something develops or progresses.
何かの成り行きや展開を大きく左右すること。

beyond one’s control
Impossible for someone to manage, change, or prevent.
自分では管理したり変えたりできないこと。

lift the corners of one’s mouth
To raise the sides of the mouth slightly, as if beginning to smile.
口角を上げること。

get going
To begin functioning, working, or feeling energetic.
調子を出す、活動を始める。

gloomy
Sad, discouraged, or lacking hope.
憂鬱な、気分の沈んだ。

cheer oneself up
To do something that helps improve one’s mood.
自分自身を元気づける。

work in coordination with
To function together in an organized and connected way.
互いに連携して働く。

adapt
To change or adjust in order to cope with new conditions.
状況に応じて適応する。

habitually stern expression
A serious or unfriendly-looking facial expression that someone often has.
いつも浮かべている険しい表情、仏頂面。

All’s well that ends well.
An expression meaning that difficulties along the way matter less if the final result is good.
途中に問題があっても、最後がよければすべてよい、という意味の表現。

Rather Than Dwelling on Dissatisfaction, Turn It into Something Positive

A train delay can disrupt our daily routine and make an ordinary day feel frustrating. Yet even small inconveniences may offer us a chance to change our perspective. This reflection explores how dissatisfaction spreads, why it is difficult to think positively, and how the Japanese saying Saiō ga uma can help us accept the uncertainty of fortune and misfortune.

This morning, the Yamanote Line suspended service because of an accident involving a person, and I had no choice but to change my route to work.

When my daily routine changes, even slightly, I lose my rhythm and begin to feel dissatisfied.

Even the time I usually spend writing this blog becomes broken into small fragments.

Dissatisfaction tends to spread.

Once one part of my schedule goes wrong, all sorts of other things begin to bother me, and I start to feel as though the entire day is becoming a bad one.

Still, I wonder why I, as a human being, feel dissatisfied with so many things simply by being alive.

If even being alive itself made me feel dissatisfied, perhaps there would be little point in living.

And yet, I am not truly dissatisfied with life itself.

Deep down, I believe that being alive is a good thing.

Perhaps, then, I should try to transform such feelings of dissatisfaction into something positive.

The train is delayed, and I have to take an alternative route.

Instead of thinking, “What a nuisance,” I could tell myself, “I can enjoy a different view on my way to work,” or, “Even if I cannot get a seat, standing is good for my legs.”

But it is not so easy to think that way.

There is an old Japanese saying, Saiō ga uma, which teaches us that fortune and misfortune are unpredictable.

If I could put that wisdom into practice every day, perhaps even my sullen expression would soften into something closer to a smile.

Still, that is easier said than done.

Perhaps happiness begins not by eliminating dissatisfaction, but by leaving room for another way of seeing it.

・・・

dwell on
To keep thinking about something, especially something unpleasant.
「好ましくないことを、くよくよ考え続ける」

disrupt
To interrupt something and prevent it from continuing in its usual way.
「中断させる、混乱させる」

lose one’s rhythm
To become unable to continue at one’s usual pace or in one’s usual manner.
「いつもの調子を崩す」

dissatisfaction
A feeling of not being pleased or content with something.
「不満、不満足」

broken into small fragments
Divided into short and disconnected periods.
「細切れになる」

alternative route
A different way of reaching a destination.
「代替経路、別の道順」

What a nuisance.
An expression used when something is troublesome or inconvenient.
「なんて面倒なのだろう」

sullen expression
An unhappy, unfriendly, or gloomy facial expression.
「仏頂面、不機嫌な表情」

put something into practice
To actually use an idea, principle, or method.
「考えや教えを実践する」

easier said than done
Used to say that something sounds simple but is difficult to carry out.
「言うは易く行うは難し」

Saiō ga uma（塞翁が馬）
A Japanese expression derived from a Chinese story. It means that good and bad fortune are unpredictable, and that an unfortunate event may eventually lead to something good.
「幸運と不運は予測できず、災いが福に転じることもあるという意味」

Globalization Is Slowly Making the World More Uniform

 With the Japanese yen remaining weak, overseas travel has become increasingly difficult for many people in Japan. At the same time, Japan’s low prices are attracting visitors and foreign investment. These changes raise broader questions about globalization, national security, and how a country can preserve its identity in an increasingly borderless world.

An exchange rate of more than 160 yen to the dollar has begun to feel almost normal, making overseas travel increasingly difficult.

On top of that, fuel surcharges continue to soar, and I have nearly given up on visiting my daughter in New York.

I experienced the severe cold there this past winter, but I had also hoped to see what New York was like in summer. It is disappointing that I may not have the chance.

Still, Japan has become a remarkably inexpensive country.

We accepted the kind of price competition symbolized by hundred-yen shops and found ways to maintain our standard of living even when wages did not rise. Looking back, however, those efforts may have worked against us.

As long as businesses remain bound by the expectation that everything should cost only 100 yen, raising prices is not easy. Yet quality continued to improve, and consumers experienced little inconvenience. As a result, the system of maintaining extremely low prices remained in place for many years.

And if something is inexpensive for Japanese people, it is even more affordable for people from the rest of the world.

Come to Japan, and you can buy high-quality products at low prices.

Then again, there was once a time when the yen was around 100 to the dollar and Japanese travelers went shopping all over the world. Perhaps what we are seeing now is simply the reverse of that era.

It is regrettable that the days when Japanese could be heard almost everywhere at overseas tourist destinations may be fading into the past, but perhaps that cannot be helped.

What concerns me more is the possibility that pieces of Japan’s land are gradually being sold off.

This is also a matter of national security.

If water-source areas, resort properties, and other important land are purchased by foreign capital, we must avoid a future in which some of these places become, in effect, exclusive enclaves that Japanese people can no longer freely enter.

The real issue is not simply that the purchasers are foreign nationals. Rather, should we not be concerned that the government may be unable to determine clearly who owns strategically important land and for what purpose?

Many people appear to share this concern, and the government has finally begun to respond.

It may already be rather late, but this phenomenon is by no means unique to Japan.

Globalization seems to be slowly erasing the borders and regional differences that once distinguished one part of the world from another.

Amid this change, we must think carefully about how Japanese people can preserve their identity and pass it on to future generations.

As borders grow less visible, we may need to look more closely at what must not be allowed to disappear.

・・・ 

fuel surcharge
An additional fee charged by an airline to cover increases in fuel costs.
燃油サーチャージ、燃料費の上昇を補うための追加料金

soar
To rise very quickly to a high level.
急上昇する、うなぎのぼりになる

work against someone
To have an unintended negative effect on someone or something.
かえって不利に働く、裏目に出る

be bound by
To be restricted or strongly controlled by a rule, expectation, or condition.
規則や期待などに縛られる

standard of living
The level of comfort and material well-being available to a person or society.
生活水準

foreign capital
Money invested in a country by individuals, companies, or institutions from another country.
外国資本

water-source area
Land containing or surrounding an important source of water.
水源地、水源地域

exclusive enclave
An area separated from its surroundings and accessible mainly to a particular group.
特定の集団だけが利用する排他的な区域

strategically important
Important for national security, economic stability, or long-term planning.
戦略的に重要な

by no means
Not at all; in no way.
決して〜ではない

erase differences
To make distinctions or unique characteristics gradually disappear.
違いを消し去る、相違を薄れさせる

pass something on to future generations
To preserve something and transmit it to the people who come after us.
何かを守り、後世に受け継ぐ

Anne in the Rainy Season

The rainy season has settled over Kamakura, bringing cool air, wet streets, and carefully timed walks. For Anne, our Flat-Coated Retriever, however, rain changes very little. She still wants to play the moment I come home.

When I come home after work, Anne, our Flat-Coated Retriever, immediately starts asking me to play with her.

The other day, I took off my jacket and placed it on the bed along with the bag I use to carry my lunch. Anne promptly put her ball on top of them.

I worried that the jacket might be damaged, but Anne could not have cared less.

And when it comes to something Anne has done, I usually end up thinking, well, never mind.

It has been raining since last night.

Perhaps because the seasonal rain front remains stalled to the south, the cool air coming down from the north has so far kept the extreme heat away.

We wait for a break in the rain and then take her out for a walk.

When we put on her raincoat, she stays remarkably still. Perhaps she understands that it is there to protect her from the rain, which makes things much easier for us.

Dogs do not regulate their body temperature with their tongues alone. Through rapid breathing, known as panting, they allow moisture to evaporate from the nose, mouth, and airways, helping heat escape from the body. 

In a sense, it is a kind of air-cooling system that uses the respiratory tract.

That is why, when both the temperature and humidity rise, dogs have more difficulty releasing heat and may become exhausted.

Summer is a difficult season for dogs.

It is hard enough for humans, so we need to be even more attentive to animals that cannot take off their fur coats.

A little extra care is the least we can offer those who must live through summer wearing fur.

・・・

Flat-Coated Retriever
A breed of large, friendly dog known for its black or liver-colored coat and cheerful personality.
フラットコーテッドレトリバー。長い被毛と明るい性格で知られる大型犬種。

promptly
Immediately or without delay.
すぐに、間を置かずに。

could not have cared less
Used to say that someone showed no concern at all about something.
まったく気にしていない、お構いなしである。

seasonal rain front
A weather front that brings prolonged rain during the rainy season in Japan.
梅雨の時期に長雨をもたらす梅雨前線。

stalled
Remaining in one place without moving forward.
停滞した、動かない状態の。

a break in the rain
A short period when the rain temporarily stops.
雨が一時的に止んでいる時間。

panting
Rapid, shallow breathing used by dogs to help release body heat.
犬が体熱を逃がすために行う、速く浅い呼吸。パンティング。

respiratory tract
The parts of the body involved in breathing, including the nose, throat, airways, and lungs.
鼻、喉、気道、肺などを含む呼吸器系。

be attentive to
To pay careful attention to someone or something.
気を配る、注意深く見守る。

Respect for the Members of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces

A controversial remark by a Constitutional Democratic Party lawmaker suggested that children from financially struggling families are more likely to join Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, while those from wealthy families are not. Although the comment was withdrawn and an apology was made, it raised an important question about respect for SDF personnel. Defense policies and recruitment practices should be critically examined, but criticizing policy is entirely different from belittling the people who serve and the personal reasons behind their career choices.

A member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan stated in the Diet that “children who join the Self-Defense Forces tend to come from financially struggling families” and that “children from affluent families do not become SDF personnel.”

The lawmaker faced criticism and later withdrew the remarks and apologized.

The comments were made during questioning about materials produced by the Ministry of Defense for children, as well as the public relations and recruitment activities of the Self-Defense Forces.

We should be cautious about criticizing only part of a statement without first examining the context in which it was made.

Even so, it is difficult to overlook the implication that children from financially disadvantaged families are the ones who choose to join the Self-Defense Forces, while children from wealthy families would not consider such a profession.

It is possible that, during the lawmaker’s years as a teacher, some students chose to join the SDF partly because of their family’s financial circumstances.

However, personal experience should not be generalized to all SDF personnel.

People choose to join for many different reasons: a sense of duty to defend the country, a desire to help others during disasters, the influence of family or community, or simply because they see it as a meaningful and worthwhile profession.

Of course, it is necessary to examine the policies, budget, equipment and recruitment activities of the Self-Defense Forces critically. In a democratic country, such scrutiny is entirely appropriate.

However, criticizing policy and belittling the character or motivations of the people who serve are two entirely different matters.

Japan caused and suffered immense loss of life, both at home and abroad, during the last war. We must never forget the lessons of that history, and it is understandable that some people remain wary of Japan becoming a major military power.

For that very reason, I hope that Japan’s postwar Self-Defense Forces will continue to operate under the Constitution and civilian control, remain committed to an exclusively defense-oriented policy, and protect the lives and livelihoods of the people.

There are SDF personnel who accept personal risk while carrying out their duties on the front lines of national defense and disaster relief.

There are also families who support them in their daily lives.

We must discuss the role and conduct of the Self-Defense Forces calmly and critically. At the same time, we must not lose our respect for each individual who serves.

I hope that the members of the Self-Defense Forces can take pride in the duties they perform.

And I, too, want to continue showing them the respect their service deserves.

We can question defense policy without questioning the dignity of those who serve.

 

・・・

financially struggling
経済的に苦しい。
“poor”よりも穏やかで、家庭の経済状況について配慮のある表現です。

affluent
裕福な、経済的に恵まれた。
“rich”よりも文章的で、社会問題を扱う文脈に適しています。

withdraw a remark
発言を撤回する。
政治家や公人が、問題となった発言を正式に取り消す場合に使われます。

overlook
見過ごす、看過する。
“difficult to overlook”で「看過することは難しい」という意味になります。

financially disadvantaged
経済的に不利な状況にある。
直接的に貧困と断定せず、慎重に表現する言い方です。

generalize
一般化する。
限られた経験や一部の事例を、全体に当てはめることを表します。

a sense of duty
使命感、責任感。
国や社会を守る仕事を志す動機として自然な表現です。

scrutiny
厳密な検討、注意深い監視。
政治、行政、予算などを批判的に検証する場面でよく使われます。

belittle
見下す、軽視する、価値を低く扱う。
人や職業の価値を不当に低く評価するニュアンスがあります。

civilian control
文民統制。
軍事組織を、選挙で選ばれた政府や文民の政治指導者が統制する原則です。

exclusively defense-oriented policy
専守防衛政策。
日本の防衛政策を英語で説明する際に使われる表現です。

livelihoods
暮らし、生計。
“lives and livelihoods”で「生命と暮らし」という意味になります。

Rethinking Our Lives in an Age of Excess

In a world shaped by fragile supply chains and international tensions, everyday convenience can come at a hidden cost. From packaging materials to rising food prices, modern life often depends on more resources than we realize. The recent turmoil around the Strait of Hormuz reminds us that our comfortable lifestyles are connected to global risks. Perhaps it is time to rethink what we truly need, reduce excess where possible, and learn to value things more carefully in our daily lives.

Ceasefire negotiations between Iran and the United States are moving forward, and the turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz finally seems likely to subside.

Watching the scene of the memorandum being signed at the Palace of Versailles, I felt a little relieved, thinking that things might finally be reaching a turning point.

To begin with, the United States started a war with no clear exit strategy. Despite launching flashy missile attacks reminiscent of Top Gun, it eventually found itself in a situation where missile shortages were being whispered about. In that sense, it is fair to say that America’s prestige was damaged.

Furthermore, Iran’s various forms of retaliation — including the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and missile attacks on Gulf countries — exposed the fact that rule by force is by no means absolute.

As a result, perhaps it was inevitable that the talks would move in a direction said to be favorable to Iran.

Now that goods transported through the Strait of Hormuz may once again reach Japan in a stable manner, I feel relieved. At the same time, however, I also feel that we need to reconsider the way we have been living.

I do not deny that our colorful and convenient lives satisfy us emotionally in certain ways.

But is it really necessary for things to be this excessive?

I do not eat natto, so it does not directly affect me very much, but I have heard that the price of natto has been rising not so much because of the natto itself, but because of the increased cost of its containers.

When costs rise in areas separate from the actual food people are buying, and that in turn leads to higher prices, it somehow feels contradictory.

The same thing happens when buying prepared bread. Each item is wrapped individually in paper, and then placed inside an outer bag. Of course, such packaging is appreciated when it prevents the cheese, pepper, or ketchup on top from sticking to the bread next to it and mixing the flavors.

Still, it feels wasteful. And if the rising cost of those packaging materials is then reflected in the price of the bread itself, I cannot help but feel uneasy about it.

I myself have come to take for granted this age of abundance, in which things overflow into every corner of daily life.

I try to carry an eco-bag with me as much as possible, but beyond that, I honestly do not know exactly what else I should change or how.

Even so, if we could gradually reduce the things that feel excessive — by perhaps around ten percent overall, where possible — it would lead to a more environmentally friendly way of living. It might also give us greater resilience against risks caused by international tensions like the ones we have just seen.

Using things for as long as possible and treating them with care.

Even small habits like that should be enough to begin changing our lives, little by little.

 

A less excessive life may be the first step toward a more resilient future.

・・・

ceasefire negotiations
停戦交渉。戦闘を止めるための話し合い。

turmoil
混乱、騒動。不安定で落ち着かない状況を表す言葉。

subside
収まる、沈静化する。混乱や痛み、感情などが弱まる時に使う。

memorandum
覚書。正式な条約ほどではないが、合意内容を記録した文書。

turning point
転機、節目。状況が大きく変わるきっかけ。

exit strategy
出口戦略。戦争や政策などをどのように終わらせるかという計画。

reminiscent of
〜を思わせる。何かに似た印象を与える時に使う。

prestige
威信、名声。国や組織、人が持つ社会的な評価や尊厳。

retaliation
報復、反撃。攻撃や不利益に対してやり返すこと。

by no means absolute
決して絶対的ではない。「まったく〜ではない」という強調表現。

stable manner
安定した形で。物資供給や状況が乱れず続くことを表す。

excessive
過剰な、度を越した。必要以上であること。

contradictory
矛盾している。納得しにくい、筋が通らないという意味でも使える。

prepared bread
調理済みパン、惣菜パン。具材や味付けがされたパン。

packaging materials
包装資材。紙、袋、容器など、商品を包むための材料。

take for granted
当たり前だと思う。ありがたみや問題点に気づかず受け入れている状態。

age of abundance
豊かさの時代、モノがあふれる時代。

resilience
回復力、耐性。危機や変化に耐え、立て直す力。

Writing for Someone I Cannot See

What does it mean to have a dream?

For a pathologist, work often means writing for someone we may never meet. In that sense, a pathology report and a personal blog may have more in common than they first appear.

 

I have been watching an NHK morning drama with deep feeling, as one member of the medical profession.

It is a coming-of-age story about the first women in Japan to receive formal nursing education—women who were called kangofu at the time, and who would now be called nurses.

Nurses are the people who stay closest to the patient.

They are among the most reliable and reassuring members of any medical team.

And each of them, I imagine, becomes a nurse while carrying their own image of what an ideal nurse should be.

The drama has now passed its halfway point.

As the nursing school part of the story comes to an end, each character begins to speak about their dream for the future.

The instructor who came all the way from Scotland to Japan also speaks about her next dream.

What is a dream?

That question was also raised in the drama, and last night I found myself thinking about what a dream means to me.

When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a diplomat, a trading company employee, or a novelist.

None of those dreams came true.

In the end, I became a doctor, just as my father had hoped.

It may not have been an act of rebellion, but I did not become an internist like my father.

I became a pathologist.

I am glad that I became one.

I do not know whether this was truly my dream.

Still, perhaps the vague image I had of the kind of person I wanted to become has somehow taken shape in this life.

I write this blog every day.

But I cannot see the people who are reading these words.

Even so, I am fortunate that someone opens this page every day and reads what I have written.

This article, too, is written toward that unseen “someone.”

There are times when I explain pathological diagnoses directly to patients.

This is sometimes called a pathology consultation.

But in general, pathologists rarely speak with patients face to face.

Every day, I struggle to complete pathology reports.

And those reports are, in essence, written for the patients.

Of course, clinicians stand between the pathologist and the patient.

Even so, the diagnosis belongs to the patient.

In that sense, a pathology report delivered to a patient feels somehow similar to this blog, which I write for readers I cannot see.

I do not know whether writing for someone unseen was ever my dream.

But perhaps a dream does not always have to be concrete.

If that dream has taken shape in the work of being a pathologist, then I am grateful.

Some dreams may be realized not as a title or a destination, but as the quiet work we continue to do each day.

・・・・

coming-of-age story
A story about young people growing, learning, and finding their place in the world.
成長物語。若者が経験を通じて成長していく物語。

formal education
Education provided through an official school or institution.
正式な教育。学校や制度に基づいて行われる教育。

medical profession
The field of work related to medicine, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
医療職。医師、看護師、その他の医療従事者を含む職業分野。

reassuring
Making someone feel less worried or afraid.
安心させる。人の不安をやわらげる。

halfway point
The middle point of something.
折り返し地点。物事の中間点。

diplomat
A person who represents their country in another country.
外交官。自国を代表して外国と交渉する人。

trading company
A company that buys and sells goods internationally.
商社。国際的に商品を売買する会社。

act of rebellion
An action taken to resist or oppose someone’s expectations or authority.
反抗の行為。誰かの期待や権威に逆らう行動。

internist
A doctor who specializes in internal medicine.
内科医。内科を専門とする医師。

pathologist
A doctor who diagnoses diseases by examining tissues, cells, and organs.
病理医。組織、細胞、臓器を調べて病気を診断する医師。

take shape
To gradually become clear, real, or concrete.
形になる。だんだん具体的になったり実現したりする。

pathology report
A written medical report made by a pathologist, describing a diagnosis based on examined tissue or cells.
病理診断書。病理医が組織や細胞を調べて診断内容を記した報告書。

face to face
Directly meeting and speaking with someone in person.
直接会って。対面で。

in essence
Basically; in the most important meaning.
本質的には。要するに。

clinician
A doctor or healthcare professional who directly cares for patients.
臨床医。患者を直接診療する医療者。

unseen
Not seen or not visible.
見えない。目に見えない。

concrete
Clear, specific, and definite.
具体的な。はっきりした形のある。

destination
A place or goal that someone is trying to reach.
目的地、到達点。目指している場所や目標。

Japan May Look Poorer, But Not Entirely So

Japan is often described as a country in decline, with a shrinking population, a weak yen, and growing economic anxiety. Yet daily life in Japan still reveals a remarkable level of safety, cleanliness, and public infrastructure. A morning walk in Kamakura leads to a quiet reflection on the G7, the Japanese economy, and what it means to keep going.

 

I woke up a little earlier than usual this morning and took Anne out for a walk.

The lotus flowers in Genpei Pond at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine have begun to bloom here and there. Even before seven o’clock, I could already feel a trace of the humid summer heat.

The G7 Summit is being held in Évian, France.

In Japan, the summit is covered as a major event, but I wonder how much attention it receives in other countries.

Perhaps there is no point in worrying too much about reputation. Still, it would feel a little sad if we did not understand the meaning of Japan’s participation in such a meeting.

The G7 may be a gathering of countries with large economies, but China is not included, and Japan no longer has the same momentum it once did.

To be honest, I am not sure how much influence Japan can really have by taking part.

The Nikkei Stock Average continues to rise.

With the weak yen, Japanese stocks may look undervalued, and money seems to be flowing in from around the world.

The market looks as if it might keep rising until Japanese people themselves can no longer afford to buy into it. At times, I find myself wondering whether the Japanese will become even poorer from here.

And yet, from washlet toilets to the Shinkansen, Japan still has much infrastructure that can be called world-class.

There are signs of wear and strain here and there, but compared with many other places, the streets are still clean, and crime remains low.

It is easy to understand why so many tourists come to Japan in large numbers, drawn by a country that feels safe, comfortable, and inexpensive.

Japan is facing a declining population, and perhaps it will continue to become poorer in the years ahead.

Even so, I would like us to work hard enough, at least, to maintain the level we still have now.

There are, of course, many different opinions, both for and against what Prime Minister Takaichi has been saying.

For now, however, some of what she is trying to do seems to be an attempt to bring a measure of closure to issues that have long been left unattended. In that sense, I do not necessarily see it as a bad thing.

When I think about the emergence of more extreme right-wing parties, I sometimes feel that this may be a realistic point of balance.

Japan may have become poorer, but not entirely so.

Let us hold our ground.

It feels as if that is what we are being called to do, and I, too, feel that I must think carefully and act accordingly.

Even in decline, a country may still have something worth protecting, if its people choose to stand firm. 

 

・・・

humid
English definition: Warm and slightly wet in the air.
日本語訳：蒸し暑い、湿気の多い。

summit
English definition: An important meeting between leaders of countries or organizations.
日本語訳：首脳会議、サミット。

reputation
English definition: The general opinion that people have about someone or something.
日本語訳：評判、世評。

momentum
English definition: The strength or force that keeps something moving or developing.
日本語訳：勢い、推進力。

influence
English definition: The power to affect what people or countries think or do.
日本語訳：影響力、発言力。

undervalued
English definition: Worth more than the current price or estimate suggests.
日本語訳：割安な、過小評価された。

infrastructure
English definition: The basic systems and facilities a country needs, such as transport, water, electricity, and public services.
日本語訳：社会基盤、インフラ。

world-class
English definition: Among the best in the world.
日本語訳：世界最高水準の、世界に誇れる。

wear and strain
English definition: Damage or weakness caused by long use or pressure.
日本語訳：傷みや綻び、長年の負担による劣化。

declining population
English definition: A situation in which the number of people in a country or region is decreasing.
日本語訳：人口減少。

bring closure to something
English definition: To settle or finish an issue that has remained unresolved.
日本語訳：物事に区切りをつける、決着をつける。

hold our ground
English definition: To stay firm and not give up, even in a difficult situation.
日本語訳：踏ん張る、持ちこたえる。

 

 

 

Does He Have Any Hobbies?

 A former high school teacher’s simple question made me pause and think about what hobbies really mean. In a busy life filled with work, family, a dog, and a daily blog, perhaps a hobby is not always something grand. Sometimes it is simply the thing that lets us breathe a little.

Last weekend, one of my former high school teachers came to visit our home.

He is a semi-professional potter. He used to fire his works in his own kiln, but after his house deep in the mountains was damaged by a natural disaster, he now uses a borrowed kiln.

Some time ago, when I met him at a class reunion, I had asked him to make some plates for me. They were finally finished, and he kindly brought them all the way to my house.

Unfortunately, I was away at a conference that day, but the weather was fine, and I heard that he spent about an hour relaxing on our balcony before leaving.

At that time, he apparently asked, with some concern, “Colo-ken seems terribly busy these days. Does he have any hobbies?”

The word “hobby” covers a surprisingly wide range.

When I looked it up again online, I found that a hobby is generally defined as something a person does voluntarily for enjoyment, not as work or a profession. It can also refer to a person’s taste, preference, or sense of what is beautiful or interesting.

In this case, I think my teacher meant the former.

Some people say, “My work is my hobby.” Others turn a hobby into a profession and become professionals.

When you think about it that way, it is not easy to draw a strict line between work and hobby.

When I have to write hobbies in a profile, I usually list gardening, dogs, blogging, reading, and listening to music.

In the past, I also wrote basketball, but I have since removed it.

As for reading, I have hardly been reading books lately, so perhaps I should remove that as well.

Listening to music is also questionable. I go to concerts maybe once a year, if that.

When I think about it, the number of things I can confidently call hobbies has become rather small.

Gardening is mostly just a little bit of weekend work with soil.

Walking the dog is also mainly a weekend activity.

I write my blog every day, but to be honest, I am not entirely sure whether keeping a diary can be called a hobby.

I think my teacher was worried about whether I had any time to relax through a hobby.

In that sense, does writing down my thoughts like this on my blog help me relax?

I am not sure.

Still, it does not feel bad to write while imagining that someone, somewhere, may be reading my words.

So perhaps this is something I can proudly call a hobby after all.

Perhaps a hobby does not need to be impressive; it only needs to be something that quietly keeps us connected to ourselves. 

・・・

former
English definition: Something or someone that belonged to an earlier time or previous role.
日本語訳：以前の、かつての。

semi-professional
English definition: Someone who does an activity at a very high level, but not fully as a main profession.
日本語訳：セミプロの、専門家に近い水準の。

potter
English definition: A person who makes pottery, such as bowls, plates, and cups, from clay.
日本語訳：陶芸家。

kiln
English definition: A special oven used for baking clay objects at high temperatures.
日本語訳：窯。

natural disaster
English definition: A major harmful event caused by nature, such as an earthquake, flood, or landslide.
日本語訳：自然災害。

class reunion
English definition: A gathering of former classmates, often many years after graduation.
日本語訳：同窓会。

with some concern
English definition: In a way that shows worry or care about someone.
日本語訳：心配そうに、気遣いながら。

draw a strict line
English definition: To make a clear distinction between two things.
日本語訳：はっきり線引きする。

confidently call
English definition: To describe something with certainty and without hesitation.
日本語訳：自信を持ってそう呼ぶ。

to be honest
English definition: A phrase used before saying what one really thinks or feels.
日本語訳：正直に言うと。

not entirely sure
English definition: Not completely certain about something.
日本語訳：完全には確信が持てない。

after all
English definition: Used when reaching a conclusion after thinking about something again.
日本語訳：結局のところ、やはり。

 

 

What Should Humans Do with the Singularity They Have Created?

 As artificial intelligence becomes deeply woven into daily life, medicine, and even national security, we are forced to ask a difficult question: are we still using AI, or are we beginning to depend on it? For doctors, including pathologists, this question is no longer abstract. It is already part of everyday work.

 

It has been reported that access to certain AI models in the United States has been restricted for reasons of national security.

I do not know the details, but some may see this as a sign that AI is gradually becoming something uncontrollable.

And now there is also a growing concern that the AI tools we have come to use so naturally might one day suddenly become unavailable. The issue has caused quite a stir.

My own use of AI has already become fairly extensive.

I run much of the writing I produce through AI for checking.

This ranges from something as simple as spell-checking when I write in English, to listing differential diagnoses in pathology.

At times, I even consult AI about my own personality, or about how I should understand and evaluate other people.

Some people may not even realize that they are using AI.

Online news articles are said to be written by AI, and even news narration is now being done by AI.

AI has already entered every corner of our lives.

In medicine, many doctors are also using AI.

Physicians in internal medicine probably use it to help with differential diagnosis, and in diagnostic imaging, it is likely used not only by radiologists but also by many other doctors.

In some areas of internal medicine, much of the work involves integrating symptoms, laboratory data, and lifestyle information.

In such fields, if symptoms, data, and daily habits were entered into an AI system, it might well produce better diagnoses and treatment plans than many ordinary doctors.

Pathology is no exception.

I sometimes consult AI about differential diagnoses.

It is not so much to avoid missing something, but rather to confirm that certain possibilities can reasonably be excluded.

In that sense, part of pathology diagnosis may already have reached a kind of singularity.

What still gives human pathologists an advantage over AI is the ability to describe gross findings and to select the appropriate lesion for sampling.

At present, AI can do none of this.

However, if the work were divided among a robot pathologist in charge of grossing, another in charge of microscopic examination, and another in charge of diagnostic report writing, the job might become much easier.

Or perhaps it might disappear altogether.

After all, AI is being trained on the excellent techniques and diagnostic patterns of excellent pathologists.

That outcome would hardly be surprising.

Still, the progress of AI is astonishingly fast.

How long will doctors be able to continue as checkers?

Perhaps the question is no longer whether doctors will use AI, but how long doctors will remain the ones checking it. 

・・・ 

singularity
English Definition: A point at which artificial intelligence may surpass human intelligence or become difficult for humans to control.
日本語訳: シンギュラリティ。AIが人間の知能を超えたり、人間の制御を離れたりする転換点。

national security
English Definition: The protection of a country from threats, including military, technological, economic, and cyber risks.
日本語訳: 国家安全保障。軍事、技術、経済、サイバーなどの脅威から国家を守ること。

uncontrollable
English Definition: Impossible or very difficult to control.
日本語訳: 制御不能な。コントロールすることが難しい、または不可能な状態。

differential diagnosis
English Definition: The process of considering and comparing several possible diseases that could explain a patient’s findings.
日本語訳: 鑑別診断。患者の所見を説明しうる複数の疾患を比較検討すること。

pathology diagnosis
English Definition: A diagnosis made by examining tissues, cells, and other specimens under the microscope and by other methods.
日本語訳: 病理診断。組織や細胞などを顕微鏡などで調べて行う診断。

gross findings
English Definition: Findings observed by the naked eye before microscopic examination, especially in surgical specimens.
日本語訳: 肉眼所見。顕微鏡で見る前に、手術検体などを肉眼で観察して得られる所見。

sampling
English Definition: The act of selecting parts of a specimen for further examination, such as microscopic study.
日本語訳: 切り出し・標本採取。検体の中から顕微鏡で調べる部分を選ぶ作業。

diagnostic report writing
English Definition: The process of writing a formal medical report that describes findings and gives a diagnosis.
日本語訳: 診断報告書作成。所見と診断を正式な医療文書として記載すること。

checker
English Definition: A person or system that reviews something to confirm whether it is correct or acceptable.
日本語訳: チェックする人、確認役。内容が正しいかどうかを確認する役割。

to cause quite a stir
English Definition: To attract a lot of attention, concern, or discussion.
日本語訳: 波紋を呼ぶ。大きな関心や議論、不安を引き起こすこと。