Pets Are Like Family, but…

I used to wonder why people called their pets members of the family. Now, living with our Flat-Coated Retriever, Anne, I find myself feeling much the same way. But if pets are so precious to us, why do some people abandon them?

I used to hear people say, “Pets are members of the family,” and wonder what on earth they were talking about.

Recently, however, I realized that I, too, have come to think of our Flat-Coated Retriever, Anne, as something like a member of the family.

Perhaps I felt the same way about our previous dogs, Koro and Knight, without really realizing it.

But why do humans want to keep animals as pets in the first place?

Pets are not limited to dogs and cats. Some people keep birds, others fish, and still others reptiles.

People develop affection for all kinds of animals, each in their own way.

I wonder if they all come to regard their pets as family, too.

On the other hand, some people abandon their pets.

Just a little while ago, I saw a television report about abandoned raccoons.

We have raccoons here in Kamakura, of course, as well as Taiwan squirrels and masked palm civets.

Raccoons and Taiwan squirrels were originally brought to Japan by humans. Some escaped from captivity, while others were deliberately released or abandoned, eventually establishing populations in the wild.

Whenever I see these animals, I have mixed feelings.

People take animals home because they find them cute, but when caring for them becomes too difficult, some simply abandon them.

As a result, these animals multiply in the wild, disrupt local ecosystems, and eventually become targets of population control or extermination.

In the end, it seems that human thoughtlessness has come back to haunt us.

And yet, there is little I can personally do to change the situation.

At the very least, I can take good care of Anne, who is now part of our household, and remain responsible for her throughout her life.

Perhaps that is all I can do.

Perhaps the least we can do for the animals we bring into our lives is to care for them until the very end.

a member of the family	家族の一員。ペットについても自然に使う表現
in the first place	そもそも、第一に
develop affection for	～に愛情を抱くようになる
abandon a pet	ペットを捨てる、遺棄する
escape from captivity	飼育下から逃げ出す
establish populations in the wild	野生で繁殖し、個体群として定着する
have mixed feelings	複雑な気持ちになる
disrupt local ecosystems	地域の生態系を乱す
population control	個体数管理。駆除を含む場合がある
come back to haunt us	過去の行為が巡り巡って悪い結果をもたらす。「しっぺ返しを受ける」に近い
human thoughtlessness	人間の無思慮、無自覚さ
throughout her life	その生涯を通して、最後まで

#PetsAreFamily #FlatCoatedRetriever #LifeWithDogs #AnimalWelfare #ResponsiblePetOwnership #AbandonedPets #WildlifeConservation #Kamakura #AnneTheDog #LifeInJapan

A False Magnitude 9.9 Earthquake Alert at the Mampei Hotel in Karuizawa

 

A peaceful afternoon at the historic Mampei Hotel in Karuizawa took an unexpected turn when our smartphones suddenly sounded an earthquake alert. A magnitude 9.9 earthquake, with strong shaking expected in just three minutes? We found ourselves counting down, wondering what to do.

Another beautiful sunny day in Karuizawa. In fact, it seems that the whole of Japan was blessed with fine weather today, which is certainly something to be thankful for.

After checking out of our hotel, we took Anne to the dog park and let her run around to her heart's content. Then we headed to Old Karuizawa.

Our destination was the Mampei Hotel, one of my wife's favorite places.

We were relaxing on the terrace, where dogs are welcome, when suddenly an earthquake warning sounded on my smartphone.

Everyone else's phones around us went off at the same time.

"Hey, it says magnitude 9.9! The earthquake is in the Kuril Islands, and the shaking is supposed to reach us in three minutes!"

Japan has an Earthquake Early Warning system that alerts people before strong shaking arrives. But a magnitude of 9.9? That would be beyond anything ever recorded.

　　　

 

So, what should we do?

We were sitting outside on the terrace. Should we stay where we were, or crawl under the table?

While I was thinking about it, the countdown reached two minutes.

Hmm. What to do?

My wife suggested moving away from the building because she was worried about the hotel's eaves.

I thought that, since we were so far from the epicenter, the shaking probably wouldn't be all that strong. So I stayed where I was.

Before I knew it, there was only one minute left.

If the shaking started, I would get under the table.

Perhaps I could first see how strong it was by watching the lampshades inside the hotel. There should be enough time to decide what to do after that.

With these thoughts running through my mind, I waited for the shaking to begin.

But nothing happened.

"That's strange. It's not shaking at all. Maybe it wasn't such a big earthquake after all?"

Just as we were saying that, a second warning sounded.

An aftershock?

Then, before long, we heard that the Japan Meteorological Agency had canceled the warning.

Hmm.

The agency apparently says it wasn't a cyberattack, but I certainly hope that was the case.

A magnitude 9.9 earthquake that never came. Quite an unexpected experience during what was supposed to be a peaceful afternoon at the Mampei Hotel.

 

・・・

• Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) — 緊急地震速報。日本で地震の強い揺れが到達する前に発表される警報。

• Kuril Islands — 千島列島。北海道の北東からカムチャツカ半島にかけて連なる島々。

• Epicenter — 震央。地震の震源の真上にあたる地表の地点。

• Eaves — 軒、ひさし。建物の屋根が外壁より外側に張り出した部分。

• To her heart's content — 思う存分、満足するまで。

• Aftershock — 余震。大きな地震の後に発生する地震。

• Cyberattack — サイバー攻撃。コンピューターシステムやネットワークに対する悪意のある攻撃。

• Before I knew it — 気がつけば、いつの間にか。

#Karuizawa #MampeiHotel #EarthquakeAlert #EarthquakeEarlyWarning #Magnitude99 #KurilIslands #JapanTravel #OldKaruizawa #TravelWithDogs #軽井沢 #万平ホテル #緊急地震速報 #千島列島

Autumn in Karuizawa with Ann

A beautiful autumn day in Karuizawa with our Flat-Coated Retriever, Ann. From a leisurely breakfast at a dog-friendly hotel to a spacious dog park and the colorful reflections at Kumoba Pond, it was a peaceful and relaxing day. The sweet fragrance of fallen katsura leaves made the autumn atmosphere even more memorable. Everything seemed perfect, except for one unexpected disappointment: the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom I had confidently expected to win, suffered another heartbreaking defeat.

We started the morning with a walk around the neighborhood with Ann. After returning to the hotel, we let her play in the dog run before heading to breakfast.

Naturally, Ann came along with us.

Actually, since this hotel is specifically designed for guests traveling with their dogs, having her with us was simply a matter of course.

We sat at the same table as the previous evening. Apparently, it was designated for large dogs. That didn't mean the table itself was particularly large. It was simply one of the tables at the far end of the dining room.

The hotel also offered a special menu for dogs, so we added small portions of it to Ann's usual food.

Quite a luxurious vacation for Ann, too!

After taking our time over breakfast, we returned to our room and leisurely packed our things while cheering for the Dodgers.

When the Dodgers took the lead, I figured everything would be fine from there. After all, they still had Roki Sasaki available to pitch.

So we checked out and headed for a dog park that had apparently been created by converting part of a golf course.

Ann ran freely in every direction across the enormous open space and seemed to be having a wonderful time.

If only we had a dog park this spacious back home in Kamakura!

 

After that, we drove to the old Karuizawa area and visited Kumoba Pond.

There was some traffic congestion due to road construction along the way, but since it was a weekday, we managed to get around relatively quickly.

At Kumoba Pond, the brilliant red autumn foliage of the Japanese enkianthus shrubs was beautifully reflected on the water's surface.

We were blessed with lovely weather throughout our stay in autumnal Karuizawa. The sweet fragrance of katsura trees drifted through the air, making it a thoroughly pleasant experience.

All in all, it was a wonderfully peaceful and relaxing day.

Later that evening, I checked the result of the Dodgers' game against the Milwaukee Brewers online.

To my surprise, the Dodgers had lost after surrendering their lead.

I had been so sure they were going to win.

And now, at last, they had no room left for another defeat.

A perfect autumn day in Karuizawa—if only the Dodgers had won!

 

・・・

dog-friendly hotel	犬同伴で宿泊できるホテル
a matter of course	当然のこと、当たり前のこと
be designated for	〜用に指定されている
take one's time over breakfast	ゆっくり時間をかけて朝食をとる
figure everything would be fine	もう大丈夫だろうと思う
convert part of a golf course	ゴルフコースの一部を転用する
run freely in every direction	縦横無尽に走り回る
Japanese enkianthus	ドウダンツツジ。秋に鮮やかに紅葉する低木
katsura tree	カツラの木。秋の落葉は甘い香りを放つ
be reflected on the water's surface	水面に映る
surrender one's lead	リードを失う、逆転を許す
have no room left for another defeat	もう一敗もできない、あとがない

#Karuizawa #AutumnInJapan #KumobaPond #DogFriendlyTravel #FlatCoatedRetriever #TravelWithDogs #AutumnFoliage #Kamakura #ShoheiOhtani #RokiSasaki #Dodgers #軽井沢 #雲場池 #紅葉 #犬との旅行 #フラットコーテッドレトリバー #大谷翔平

The Fate of the World, Shohei Ohtani, and My Summer Vacation

With my international conference finally over, I can at last enjoy a belated summer vacation. But even in mid-October, the weather still feels like summer. And despite having time to relax, I found myself lying awake last night, worrying about everything from the possibility of nuclear war to Shohei Ohtani's place in the Dodgers' lineup. Sometimes the troubles of the world and the smallest concerns of everyday life seem to carry equal weight in a sleepless mind.

The international conference is finally over, and I can breathe a sigh of relief.

My belated summer vacation begins today.

A summer vacation starting in mid-October? Not so long ago, nobody would have called it a summer vacation. And yet, today is another day with summer-like temperatures.

It feels more like the weather we used to have around the end of September, just after the autumn equinox.

The seasons seem to have shifted by about a month.

Despite finally being on vacation, I didn't sleep very well last night.

Apart from my own personal concerns, the state of international affairs has been making it difficult for me to feel at ease.

The worst part came when I started thinking about the increasingly high-handed behavior of the president of a certain country.

What if, on the very day he leaves office, he decides to press the nuclear button and take the entire world down with him?

Once that thought entered my mind, I probably lay awake for another thirty minutes.

Then I spent about ten minutes worrying that Shohei Ohtani might lose his place in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup.

Add those worries to my own personal concerns, and I must have spent about an hour lying awake.

I went to bed a little later than usual last night, but ended up waking at my usual time anyway.

I had hoped to get plenty of sleep, but instead, I actually slept less than usual.

As a result, I spent much of the day feeling rather foggy-headed.

What a waste of a precious vacation day.

Fortunately, the weather has been kind to me.

I hope I can get a really good night's sleep tonight.

If only I could give my worries a vacation, too.

 

・・・ 

the fate of the world	世界の行く末、世界の運命
breathe a sigh of relief	ほっと一息つく、安堵する
belated summer vacation	遅れて取る夏休み
the autumn equinox	秋分。日本の「秋のお彼岸」を説明する際にも使える表現
the state of international affairs	国際情勢
high-handed behavior	強引で独善的な振る舞い、専横ぶり
take the entire world down with him	世界全体を道連れにする
lose one's place in the starting lineup	スタメンから外れる
lie awake	眠れずに横になっている
foggy-headed	頭がぼんやりした、頭がすっきりしない

#ShoheiOhtani #大谷翔平 #Dodgers #LosAngelesDodgers #SummerVacation #BelatedSummerVacation #SleeplessNight #WorldAffairs #NuclearWar #ClimateChange #EverydayLife #PersonalReflections #夏休み #国際情勢 #睡眠不足

Once Again, Somewhere in the World Today

This morning, I watched disturbing footage of a missile attack on an airport in Saudi Arabia. It made me think about the violence taking place around the world, the fragile nature of peace, and how easily we take our own peaceful lives for granted.

This morning, footage of a missile attack on an airport in Saudi Arabia was shown on the news.

I was horrified to see a crowd of people standing in line suddenly engulfed in flames.

Scenes like this are unfolding in different parts of the world, with countless people being injured or losing their lives.

What on earth is all this happening for?

What kind of situation could possibly leave killing people as the only way to resolve it?

And if there are people who have been driven to the point where they see violence as their only way forward, how are we supposed to understand their lives and circumstances?

Whatever the circumstances may be, I cannot believe that taking human lives can ever truly solve anything.

With our neighboring country repeatedly testing long-range missiles, even Japan's peace could be shattered at any moment.

For that matter, defining what we mean by peace is difficult in itself.

If we can simply maintain the status quo and live our lives in comfort and security, that may be peace enough for us.

But for people struggling under harsh conditions, uncertain whether they will even make it through tomorrow, peace may be something they feel they must fight to achieve.

I am beginning to lose sight of what it is that has kept Japan at peace.

I once took that peace for granted, as though it were simply a natural part of life. But perhaps it is only being maintained by a complicated combination of factors, barely holding together in an extremely delicate balance.

The peace we enjoy today is by no means something we can take for granted. It is something extraordinarily precious, and we must never stop thinking about what it takes to preserve it.

Peace is never something we should take for granted.

 

・・・

Expression
be engulfed in flames	炎に包まれる。衝撃的な映像の描写に使う表現
What on earth ...?	一体全体なぜ〜なのか。強い疑問や困惑を表す
see violence as their only way forward	暴力に訴えることしか活路がないと考える
whatever the circumstances may be	どのような事情があろうとも
be shattered at any moment	いつ崩壊してもおかしくない
maintain the status quo	現状を維持する
fight to achieve peace	平和を勝ち取るために戦う
take something for granted	何かを当たり前のものと思う
a delicate balance	危うい均衡、繊細なバランス
preserve peace	平和を守り、維持する

#Peace #WorldPeace #MiddleEast #SaudiArabia #WarAndPeace #Humanity #FragilePeace #Japan #ReflectionsOnLife #平和 #中東情勢 #戦争と平和 #日々の思い

Looking Back on the Path I've Taken — Reflections After My Presentation at IAP 2026

 

After presenting at IAP 2026 in Fukuoka, Japan, I find myself reflecting on more than just the conference. Speaking in English at an international meeting was exhausting, especially at my age, but I managed to get through it. Yet the experience has left me questioning what I have accomplished in my thirty years as a pathologist. Have I made the most of my abilities? What does professional success really mean? And what responsibilities remain for me as a leader?

The international conference in Fukuoka has come to a successful conclusion.

First of all, I'm exhausted.

For a pathologist in his early sixties, attending an international conference is demanding, even when it's held here in Japan.

What exactly constitutes a "successful conclusion" may differ from person to person. But I stood at the podium, somewhat nervous, and managed to speak in English for a little over ten minutes, however haltingly. I even managed to respond to the questions during the discussion.

So I suppose I can call that a success.

The presentation itself was challenging. I was proposing a new classification for benign congenital lesions, a subject so complicated that even I sometimes found myself getting confused while explaining it.

Considering all that, I think I did reasonably well.

It's rather pathetic to have to console myself like this, but at least the presentation is over. Now I'm heading home to Kamakura.

Still, I've been doing things like this for thirty years.

When I look back on my career as a pathologist, I can't help wondering what I've actually accomplished.

I haven't published any particularly significant papers, and sometimes I even question whether I deserve to call myself a specialist in pathology.

But these are the results of my career, and there's no point in denying them.

No matter how hard one works, it's difficult to compete with people who are truly gifted.

On the other hand, talent comes in many forms, and I don't know whether the path I chose was really the best one for me.

Perhaps this was the best I could have done.

Perhaps this was simply the limit of my abilities.

When it comes to success in life, people tend to judge us by our achievements. The process of getting there receives far less attention.

Of course, when it comes to personal growth, the process matters enormously. The kind of person we become is something quite different from what we achieve professionally.

Looking back on the path I've taken, I feel I can give myself a little credit for the way I've lived my life.

All things considered, I think I've done reasonably well.

But as a pathologist, I can't help feeling that I've fallen somewhat short.

I intend to continue working as a pathologist for a while longer, but I wonder what I should be doing now as a leader.

I'm no longer entirely confident that I have what it takes.

Even if I'm little more than a hollow facade, trying to live up to a role that may be beyond my abilities, I still have a responsibility to fulfill it for as long as that role is entrusted to me.

These are the thoughts running through my tired mind, just after finishing my presentation.

Perhaps the hardest part of looking back on one's career is accepting both what one has achieved and what one never could.

 

・・・・ 

• Come to a successful conclusion — 無事に終了する。単に finish というより、問題なく終えられたというニュアンス。

• However haltingly — たどたどしいながらも。流暢ではない英語で何とか話した様子。

• Constitute — ～に相当する、～を構成する。What constitutes success? で「何をもって成功というのか」。

• Console myself — 自分を慰める。失敗や不安を抱えた自分を納得させようとすること。

• Truly gifted — 本当に才能に恵まれた。生来の優れた才能を強調する表現。

• Fall somewhat short — 期待や目標に少し届かない。「イマイチだった」という控えめな自己評価。

• Have what it takes — 必要な能力や資質を備えている。

• A hollow facade — 中身の伴わない外見、見せかけ。「ハリボテ」の比喩的表現。

• Entrust a role to someone — 人に役割を託す。責任や信頼を伴う表現。

   

#IAP2026 #Pathology #Pathologist #InternationalConference #MedicalCareer #CareerReflection #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #Fukuoka #Kamakura #病理医 #国際学会 #人生を振り返る

How to Live with AI: A Challenge Shared Around the World @IAP2026

 Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the practice of medicine, including pathology. While AI offers remarkable benefits, it also raises an important question: Could relying too much on AI gradually weaken our own professional skills? At an international pathology conference in Fukuoka, I discovered that this concern is shared by pathologists in other countries. It was reassuring to realize that I was not alone in wondering how we can embrace AI without losing the expertise we have spent decades developing.

International Congress of Pathology, Fukuoka.

Since I wasn't scheduled to give my presentation today, I spent the day attending various sessions.

I attended one on soft tissue tumors, which are quite relevant to pediatric pathology, and another on artificial intelligence.

Recently, I've been worrying that using AI might be weakening my own ability to think independently. Ironically, I've even been discussing this concern with AI itself.

Today, during a lecture, a German pathologist said something about "If I lose my skills."

Hearing those words, I felt strangely reassured. So I wasn't the only one worrying about this after all.

If this is already a concern in pathology, I imagine the problem may be even more serious in clinical medicine. And in other scientific fields, not to mention the business world, AI may be making even greater inroads.

All in all, I've enjoyed the conference so far, and tomorrow it's finally my turn to give my presentation.

I've prepared thoroughly, or at least I think I have. But will everything go smoothly?

Despite these worries, I ended up having quite a few drinks with an old friend from high school, who now runs his own medical practice in Kyushu.

I still need to go over my presentation script one more time before tomorrow, so I'll leave it at that for today.

That said, I suppose I'd better read through my presentation script once more tonight, even with my head a little fuzzy from the drinks.

Perhaps the real challenge is not learning how to use AI, but learning how to keep thinking for ourselves while using it. 

#ArtificialIntelligence #AIinPathology #Pathology #MedicalEducation #ClinicalSkills #InternationalConference #Fukuoka #PediatricPathology #HumanExpertise #LifeWithAI #IAP2026

Still Nervous at My Age?

Even after decades of experience, giving a presentation at an international conference can still be nerve-racking. My slides and script are ready, but speaking English without notes is another matter. Watching a Nobel Prize winner read from a prepared script made me feel a little better. Perhaps relying on a script is not something to be embarrassed about, after all. Still, I cannot help wondering why I continue to get nervous before a presentation, even at my age.

An international conference is just around the corner, my first in quite some time, and I'm feeling a little nervous.

My slides and script are ready, so all that's left is to give the presentation.

Ideally, I'd like to speak without looking at my notes, but I just can't seem to memorize what I want to say.

In the end, it looks as though I'll have to read from my script.

I was thinking to myself, somewhat self-deprecatingly, that we Japanese really aren't very good at English.

But then, while watching the news coverage of the Nobel Prizes, I noticed someone reading from a prepared script.

Perhaps English wasn't their native language, and they had prepared a script just to be on the safe side.

That's what I decided to tell myself to put my mind at ease.

Still, getting nervous before a conference presentation, even at my age, is rather frustrating—or perhaps a little embarrassing.

Perhaps getting nervous simply means that I still care about doing my best.

 

・・・

just around the corner	目前に迫っている。日常会話でもよく使う表現
nerve-racking	神経がすり減るような、緊張する
speak without looking at my notes	原稿を見ずに話す
can't seem to memorize	どうしても覚えられない。can't memorize より少し柔らかい
read from my script	用意した原稿を読む。学会発表でも自然な表現
self-deprecatingly	自嘲気味に、自分を少し卑下して
just to be on the safe side	念のため、万全を期して
put my mind at ease	気持ちを楽にする、安心する
rather frustrating	何とももどかしい、困ったものだ

#InternationalConference #AcademicPresentation #PublicSpeaking #EnglishPresentation #NobelPrize #PresentationAnxiety #LifelongLearning #NeverTooOldToLearn #国際学会 #英語発表 #学会発表 #緊張 #生涯学習

Give Up Some of Our Modern Conveniences

Cyberattacks are becoming an increasingly serious threat to modern society. Recent incidents in Japan have disrupted distribution networks and exposed millions of people's personal information, including images of driver's licenses. As we become more dependent on interconnected computer systems, the convenience we take for granted may also become our greatest vulnerability. Perhaps it is time to reconsider how much we rely on technology and whether we are prepared to keep society functioning when our digital systems fail.

With the rapid advancement of AI adding to the problem, cyberattacks exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems are becoming increasingly serious, causing widespread disruption in logistics and many other sectors.

The recent leak of personal information from a car-sharing company is particularly alarming, especially because it involved driver's license information.

Although I have used a different rental car company, I cannot help wondering whether my own personal information is being properly protected.

After all, providing driver's license information when renting a car is perfectly reasonable. It would never occur to most of us that such information might be stolen.

But when information containing names, addresses, dates of birth, and even facial photographs is leaked, it is no small matter.

Japan has traditionally been considered relatively well protected from foreign attacks because it is surrounded by the sea, unlike European countries that share land borders.

Today, however, in cyberspace, criminals from other countries may be lurking right next door.

It is difficult to completely eliminate crimes that exploit the convenience of the Internet.

Indeed, perhaps some of these criminals do not even think of what they are doing as a crime.

To them, what lies beyond their computer screens may be nothing more than strings of numbers and symbols, rather than real people and real money.

How, then, should Japan and its people respond to this unprecedented crisis?

Perhaps the most reliable solution would be to return to a world of paper and pencils, but that would be absurd.

It is still fresh in our memories that a major office supplies company suffered a cyberattack that left its operations severely disrupted for several weeks.

Yes, we could even find ourselves in a situation where paper and pencils become difficult to obtain.

That may be an extreme example, but perhaps we need to consider operating our computers as standalone machines or within highly restricted networks, keeping connections to the outside world to an absolute minimum.

I realize that such amateur ideas may not be of much practical use.

Nevertheless, perhaps we need to be prepared to give up some of the conveniences we have come to enjoy.

We must establish systems that allow society to continue functioning even when cyberattacks occur.

In hospitals, for example, when electronic medical record systems go down, we are supposed to switch immediately to established downtime procedures.

Similarly, society as a whole needs mechanisms that allow essential activities to continue even when the systems we normally depend on stop working.

We have pursued convenience by entrusting almost everything to computers and connecting countless systems through networks.

Yet that very convenience is now becoming a vulnerability for society as a whole.

We have come this far without ever seriously considering the possibility of giving up the conveniences we have acquired.

Perhaps we have reached a point where we must reconsider the way we have built our society.

True resilience may require us to sacrifice a little convenience before we lose much more.

 

・・・

exploit vulnerabilities	脆弱性を悪用する。サイバーセキュリティ分野でよく使われる表現
be lurking right next door	すぐ隣に潜んでいる。目に見えない脅威を表現
it is no small matter	ただ事ではない。事態の重大さを強調
standalone machines	外部ネットワークに接続しない独立したコンピューター
downtime procedures	システム停止時の代替運用手順。医療分野でも使われる専門用語
entrust something to	～に何かを委ねる、任せる
resilience	回復力、強靭性。サイバーセキュリティや事業継続の重要概念
at the expense of	～を犠牲にして。Convenience at the expense of security（安全性を犠牲にした利便性）など

#Cybersecurity #Cyberattacks #DigitalSociety #DataBreach #DigitalDependence #CyberResilience #TechnologyAndSociety #BusinessContinuity #ModernConvenience

Political Arrogance and Bureaucratic Deference That Leave No Paper Trail

In Japan, a cabinet minister has come under fire for claiming that he reduced government funding to municipalities whose mayors did not support him in an election. Although he later denied exerting political pressure, the controversy has raised serious questions about political accountability, bureaucratic independence, and the absence of proper records. It also recalls earlier scandals in which official documents and government explanations came under scrutiny. How can citizens trust an administration when even the process behind its decisions remains unclear?

A politician once made the outrageous claim that he had cut government funding to municipalities whose mayors had refused to support him. Now that the very same politician has become a cabinet minister, his remarks have turned into a major controversy. He has offered explanation after explanation, but the more he says, the more contradictions seem to emerge. What was once a gray area is beginning to look pitch-black.

Budget allocation is a devilishly complicated business. When money runs short in one place, funds may have to be shifted from somewhere else. That much is understandable. But deliberately cutting funding to a particular community for political reasons would be an entirely different matter.

And what are we to make of bureaucrats who might take a politician's wishes into account and allow a single phone call to influence administrative decisions?

Then, when asked to explain what happened, officials respond with phrases such as, "There are no records," or "I believe that was the case."

We have seen this sort of thing before. These are people entrusted with decisions that affect the lives of ordinary citizens, yet they apparently conduct government business without keeping adequate records of how those decisions were made. The carelessness of it all leaves me speechless.

What happened to the lessons that should have been learned from the Moritomo scandal?* Did those in power ever truly reflect on what happened? No, I rather doubt they did.

Why do politicians who appear so arrogant continue to wield influence and even rise to cabinet positions? And I find it equally difficult to understand why voters continue to support such figures.

The politician reportedly referred to local construction contractors in an interview. Hearing that, one can hardly blame people for wondering whether his actions were motivated by a desire to secure votes.

Japan is already struggling with economic stagnation and an uncertain future. We have no time to waste.

Parliament should not have to spend its precious debating time dealing with controversies like this.

Would it be too much to ask him to step down?

After all, he would still have the title of "former cabinet minister" to his name. Surely that should be reward enough.

As for the bureaucrats, I would like to see them carry out their duties with a little more consideration for the perspective of ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

Civil servants, too, may be protected under Japan's Whistleblower Protection Act when certain legal conditions are met. I wish more of them would speak up when they see something wrong.

But perhaps that is easier said than done when their career prospects are at stake.

＊The Moritomo scandal involved the controversial sale of government-owned land to a private school operator in Japan and the subsequent alteration of official documents by the Ministry of Finance. The case became a major symbol of concerns over political accountability, bureaucratic conduct, and government transparency.

When those in power leave no records, who is left to take responsibility?

・・・

• leave no paper trail — 記録・証拠となる文書を残さない

• bureaucratic deference — 官僚による上位者への遠慮・追従。「忖度」の訳語

• come under fire — 厳しい批判を浴びる

• pitch-black — 真っ黒。疑惑の深まりを比喩的に表現

• a devilishly complicated business — 悪魔的なほど複雑な事柄

• leave me speechless — 開いた口が塞がらない、言葉を失う

• wield influence — 影響力を振るう

• one can hardly blame people for wondering — 人々が疑念を抱くのも無理はない

• whistleblower — 内部告発者・公益通報者

• career prospects are at stake — 将来の昇進やキャリアが危うくなる

   

#JapanesePolitics #PoliticalAccountability #GovernmentTransparency #Bureaucracy #WhistleblowerProtection #Kamakura #JapanesePathologist

Generational Change Has Reached Me, Too

Major League Baseball is in the middle of its postseason, and I have been watching the games with my usual mix of excitement and anxiety. At the same time, news of veteran players retiring reminds me that every field eventually undergoes generational change. Yesterday, I experienced a small version of that myself. It was a little sad, but it also made me think about what it means to step aside, leave something behind, and let the next generation take over.

Major League Baseball is in the middle of its postseason, and I have been watching the games nervously day after day.

While some players are still performing at the highest level, many others are once again announcing their retirement this year.

Yesterday, I too was relieved of my role as the head of a certain research group.

It made me feel a little sad, realizing that this is how generational change takes place.

Progress in research has been remarkable.

When I was younger, there were many things I used to think, “If only we could do this,” or “I wish we could study that.”

Now, many of those things have actually become possible.

And somewhere along the way, I realized that I was no longer quite able to keep up with all of them.

That is certainly a little sad, but perhaps it is also the right time to step back.

The title of my presentation at an upcoming conference is:

“Reclassification of 〇〇 Diseases: A Mechanism-Based Framework.”

In simple terms, I am proposing a new classification that moves beyond the conventional way of categorizing these diseases.

In about ten minutes of presentation time, I will try to condense much of the “experience” I have accumulated over the years.

And I plan to end with the following words:

“Our next step is a multicenter molecular study in Japan to validate and refine this framework.”

Being able to present what I have done over the years in a coherent form at an international conference is not such a bad way to bring things together.

From there, the future of this research in Japan will be entrusted to the promising young researchers of the next generation, including those who spoke at yesterday’s meeting.

Rather than clinging to my position indefinitely, perhaps I should think of this as leaving behind something of my own and handing it over to those who come next.

Once I began to think that way, the sadness I had felt started to change into another question:

What should I do next?

There is not much time to indulge in sentimentality.

For now, I simply need to prepare properly for the conference that is just around the corner.

Sometimes stepping aside is not the end of a journey, but the moment when we decide what to leave for those who follow.

・・・

• generational change — 世代交代

• be relieved of one’s role — 役職・任務を解かれる

• keep up with — 進歩などについていく

• step back — 第一線から一歩引く

• move beyond — 従来の枠を越える

• condense — 凝縮する

• coherent form — 筋道の通った、一つにまとまった形

• entrust A to B — AをBに託す

• cling to one’s position — 地位・立場にしがみつく

• indulge in sentimentality — 感傷に浸る

#GenerationalChange
#PassingTheTorch
#MedicalResearch
#AcademicLife
#InternationalConference
#Kamakura
#JapanesePathologist