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UN:  “Time to Rethink: Learning for a Changing World”  SCWS 2014 — SCWS 2017 “Sustainab​ility” November 15-17, Tokyo,  Japan
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
The Science Centre World Summit was held in March of this year focused on the theme “Time to rethink: learning for a changing world”, a reflective theme the UN SD  Education Caucus continues to showcase through our intergovernmental work on policy and with stakeholders from civil society on practice.
Serving as a member of the global organizing committee and as an invited plenary speaker allowed broad access to many stakeholders.  One major insight to share with members of the Ed. Caucus and networks, many of the heads of these centres are very good at interfacing at the community level across the broad spectrum of learning, engaging diverse stakeholders.  Participants  who attended this and the plenary session on Monday assert the message of the session stressing the key role of science centres in communicating and promoting science, realizing more efforts are needed in the future.  This support the mandate of the UN to strengthen science-based decision making by policy makers.
Save the Date
The SCWS is already working with the UN for the next world summit to be held in 2017, Nov. 15-17 in Tokyo, Japan  It is well worth the effort.  The Asian science centre network have formed a committee and will help deliver a memorable Summit.  Hope to see you there.
All the best,
Pam Puntenney and Bremley Lyngdoh
UN SD Education Caucus  Co-Chairs
Co-Coordinators Climate Change
  ——————————————————————————————————

 UN Mercury – Minamata Disease — A Courageous Professor of Chemistry and her 8

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In the mid-90s I found myself in a converted Communist youth camp sharing a room with a delightful Professor of Chemistry from Japan.  Akiyama’s story is quite amazing and a share a bit of it with you all.  The ENB coverage of where we are today having progressed to a global treaty, is in celebration of this person’s courage.  At that time the government had denied there was a problem, she and 8 of her research scientist colleagues work together to provide the scientific evidence of Minamata disease, https://www1.umn.edu/ships/ethics/minamata.htm  they presented their evidence and it was denied. Akiyama had been working with NGOs and organized 100 of them to do the advocacy work.   As their President she was able to raise awareness and bring about action  to address not only the serious health issue for this small fishing community but also impact at the global level.  We hope you will remember Akiyama and her colleagues as you follow the current work of the UN on mercury.  Ten + years on… lets honor her memory and the work of her colleagues.  Yes, it may be slow but your work is important.
All the best,
Pam Puntenney
UN SD Education Caucus Co-Chair
Co-Coordinator Climate Change

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 <<< JFS WEEKLY >>>  4 – 10 Nov. 2014

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** Biodiversity / Food / Water **

A Cup of Water Saving Children’s Lives
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035085.html
=========================================================================

In Japan, people can drink a cup of water without any concern. People
can also make a donation to provide a cup of water for children who
otherwise cannot drink even a drop of safe water. Here is how such a
project works.

The Japan Committee for UNICEF and voluntary members from Hakuhodo,
Inc., a major Japanese advertising agency, held a project called “Clean
Water for All the World’s Children – TAP PROJECT JAPAN 2014” for a month
starting on August 1, 2014. This project supports UNICEF activities to
provide access to clean and safe water to children all over the world.

At restaurants participating in this project, customers were asked to
make a donation in return for the water they were served. All donations
received will be used for UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
programs in Madagascar. These programs aim at protecting children from
contaminated water and an unsanitary environment by building water
supplies, toilets and other facilities in communities and elementary
schools in rural areas.

In Japan, this project has been carried out every year since 2009. The
Japan Committee for UNICEF publishes past donation results on its
website and informs readers how local children have gained better access
to safe water.
http://www.tapproject.jp/en/about/

JFS staff writer Yuta Hashimoto interviewed Yuya Tashiro, the store
manager of a soup curry restaurant in Hachioji City, Tokyo, named
Okushiba Shoten Hashioji Tashirojo. It was one of the participating
restaurants of the TAP PROJECT JAPAN in 2014.

¡á¡á¡á¡á

Hashimoto: Tell me what you think about participating in the Tap
Project.

Tashiro: I had not really looked closely at social action programs and
donation campaigns even when I had chances to join in them. But
participating in the Tap Project made me reflect about my view of things
and think about what I can do for society.

Hashimoto: Can you be more specific?

Tashiro: Maybe it’s best if you can to visit a place and give support
directly, but it is difficult to do so. With this project I could
cooperate with UNICEF, an organization I trust. My staff and I could
deepen our understanding of the purpose of the project and learn more
about it. I think it important for us to pass on the information we have
gained to our customers and people in the same business.

Hashimoto: What approaches did you use for the project?

Tashiro: One of our ideas was to place UNICEF table cards and collection
boxes discretely in our restaurant. We would ask for donations only from
people who show an interest in the project, without negatively affecting
the restaurant atmosphere.

Hashimoto: Will you continue supporting the project?

Tashiro: Yes, I would like to, with assistance from my staff.

Hashimoto also interviewed the restaurant staff.

Hashimoto: Did your work load become heavier with the TAP PROJECT JAPAN
2014 in the restaurant?

Staff: No, it didn’t. It was no problem at all.

Hashimoto: How did you feel when you saw a customer put money in the
donation box?

Staff: I felt delighted and a sense of gratitude, and said “thank you
very much.” I felt the customers understood the meaning of the project
even though they knew it would not directly change their daily lives.

Hashimoto: Did your perspective change after being involved in the
project?

Staff: Through TV or other media, I was aware of the serious situations
of children in the world, but I didn’t do anything about it. As a first
step, it is important be more aware of things in daily life. It might
seem obvious to say so, but I want to keep in mind in my daily life that
I should handle things with care and use them as long as possible.

¡á¡á¡á¡á

It is easy to take for granted that in Japan we can access safe drinking
water. But looking around the world, we find that this is not the norm.
I believe this is why Japanese people should be grateful for their
fortunate circumstances and do whatever they can to help others.

Written by Yuta Hashimoto

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What’s New This Week from Japan for Sustainability
4 – 10 Nov. 2014
=====================================================

– This month’s cartoon:
“Don’t you think that one world last longer?” on the Eco Cartoons Page
(2014/11/8)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/manga/manga_id035090.html

=====================================================
Newly Arrived Articles from Japan for Sustainability
4 – 10 Nov. 2014
=====================================================

Japan Celebrates One Year Completely Nuclear-free: Second Phase of
Energy [R]evolution Begins
JFS Newsletter No.146 (October 2014)

The Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 caused a tremendous damage
and loss of life, as well as a serious nuclear accident at the Fukushima
No. 1 nuclear power plant, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO).
The accident led to a national review of nuclear policies, and after
series of shutdowns, Japan has had no nuclear plants operating for more
than one year, since September 15, 2013.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035087.html

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What’s New This Week from Miracle Miracle
— A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future
(  4 – 10 Nov. 2014 )
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Miracle Report: Reforestation through a Bank System

There is a unique bank that opens for only two months every year in
Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku, southwestern Japan. What type of bank is
it?
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000154.html

# # #

Japan for Sustainability (JFS) is a non-profit communication platform to
disseminate environmental information from Japan to the world. We are
grateful that people in 191 countries have found an interest in our free
e-mail publications, and will continue to do our best to deliver useful
information to our readers all around the globe.

Please feel free to forward this message to your colleagues and friends
wherever the Internet can reach. If you know colleagues or friends there
with an interest in sustainability, please do forward them one of our
newsletters and invite them to try our service. To subscribe for JFS
Newsletters, visit www.japanfs.org/en/newsletter/subscribe.html

***** Support Us *****
If you find our information and activities unique and valuable,
we appreciate your support!
http://www.japanfs.org/en/join/donation.html

***** Unsubscribe E-Mail Newsletter *****
Use this form http://www.japanfs.org/en/newsletter/subscribe.html to
remove your email address from our mailing list.

***** Online community for young people around the world *****
Miracle Miracle — A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future
http://miracle-kids.net/en/

***** Contact *****
We welcome your comments. Please send them to: info@japanfs.org

Japan for Sustainability (JFS)
Website: http://www.japanfs.org/en/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/japanfs
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/japanfs.en

Copyright (c) 2014, Japan for Sustainability. All Rights Reserved.

————————————————————————————————–

Energy / Climate Change **

Japan’s Power Utilities to Suspend Responding to Clean Energy
Applications
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035080.html
=======================================================================

Kyushu Electric Power Co. of Japan announced on September 24, 2014, that
it will put on hold its response to new applications for grid connection
from renewable energy producers operating in the Kyushu service area.
Kyushu Electric explained the reasons as follows.

—————————————

Since Japan’s feed-in-tariff (FIT) scheme was introduced in July 2012,
the number of renewable energy businesses, mainly photovoltaic power
producers, has grown across the nation. Renewable energy businesses have
been developed more actively and rapidly in Kyushu than in other regions.
The amount of solar power capacity certified under the FIT scheme and
the amount of power capacity operating at present in this area both
account for about one fourth of the national total.

In the single month of March 2014, we received about 70,000 applications
from solar power producers–the same number of applications we received
in the entire previous year. That prompted us to review our existing
program based on the FIT scheme: We found that if the power capacity
from all applications submitted through the end of July 2014 were to be
connected to the grid, the total solar and wind-generated power flowing
through the grid would reach about 12.6 million kilowatts. This capacity,
when fully operating, exceeds the daytime power demand in this service
area during fair weather hours in spring and autumn, due to reduced
heating and air conditioning demand during these times. This causes
concern over the difficulty of maintaining a stable electricity supply
due to an imbalance of supply and demand.

In response to this situation, we are conducting an investigation to see
how much additional renewable energy capacity we can accept in the
Kyushu region by taking all possible measures available at present to
improve the supply-demand balance, such as by operating pumped power
storage during the day and transmitting power outside the Kyushu area
using grid interconnections. Over a period which may last several months,
we will suspend replying to renewable energy businesses who have already
applied or are planning to apply for our FIT scheme program. This
suspension currently does not apply to residential solar power systems
under 10 kilowatts of capacity.

—————————————

Following Kyushu Electric’s announcement, Hokkaido Electric Power Co.,
Shikoku Electric Power Co., and Tohoku Electric Power Co. all announced
that they too will suspend responding to applications from renewable
energy producers in their service areas, starting October 1, 2014. In
the Japanese utility system, Japan is divided into 10 areas, with one
utility company monopolizing the power supply in each area. Among the 10
utility companies, five of them, including Okinawa Electric Power Co.,
which was the first to announce it would suspend responding, have
decided to put their response to green energy applications on hold for
several months.

The utility companies say they have not changed their current stance of
making an active effort to develop renewable energy. However, the
suspensions have already taken a toll. Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu
announced that it will suspend its call for applications for its project
to rent the rooftops of prefectural high schools for installment of
solar power facilities. And businesses that were planning to develop
megawatt-scale photovoltaic systems announced that they would review
their business plans. Some have voiced bewilderment and concern, saying
the situation may spoil Japan’s nascent green energy movement.

Junko Edahiro

=====================================================
Newly Arrived Articles from Japan for Sustainability
28 Oct. – 3 Nov. 2014
=====================================================

Initiatives for Explaining the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster in a
Simple Manner
JFS Newsletter No.146 (October 2014)

The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission
(NAIIC) was established by the National Diet of Japan in December 2011
to investigate the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). The accident occurred
following the huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 off the
Pacific coast of Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region. The NAIIC was
independent from any parties connected with the accident, such as the
government and TEPCO, and its members included Chairman Kiyoshi Kurokawa
(Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo) and nine commissioners with
knowledge and experience in relevant fields.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035076.html

-:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-
What’s New This Week from Miracle Miracle
— A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future
( 28 Oct. – 3 Nov. 2014 )
-:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-

Miracle Report: The Happiest Place on Earth?

Do you know how your country measures its wealth? Many countries measure
their wealth in terms of economic strength, or how much money they have.
This “ruler” is called Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000151.html

# # #

Japan for Sustainability (JFS) is a non-profit communication platform to
disseminate environmental information from Japan to the world. We are
grateful that people in 191 countries have found an interest in our free
e-mail publications, and will continue to do our best to deliver useful
information to our readers all around the globe.

Please feel free to forward this message to your colleagues and friends
wherever the Internet can reach. If you know colleagues or friends there
with an interest in sustainability, please do forward them one of our
newsletters and invite them to try our service. To subscribe for JFS
Newsletters, visit www.japanfs.org/en/newsletter/subscribe.html

***** Support Us *****
If you find our information and activities unique and valuable,
we appreciate your support!
http://www.japanfs.org/en/join/donation.html

***** Unsubscribe E-Mail Newsletter *****
Use this form http://www.japanfs.org/en/newsletter/subscribe.html to
remove your email address from our mailing list.

***** Online community for young people around the world *****
Miracle Miracle — A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future
http://miracle-kids.net/en/

***** Contact *****
We welcome your comments. Please send them to: info@japanfs.org

Japan for Sustainability (JFS)
Website: http://www.japanfs.org/en/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/japanfs
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/japanfs.en

Copyright (c) 2014, Japan for Sustainability. All Rights Reserved.

———————————————————————————————

If you find the Japan for Sustainability Newsletter useful or
interesting, please forward it to friends and suggest that they start
their own free subscriptions at
http://www.japanfs.org/en/newsletter/subscribe.html

         Japan for Sustainability Newsletter                 #146
October 31, 2014
Copyright (c) 2014, Japan for Sustainability
Japan for Sustainability (JFS) is a non-profit communication platform to
disseminate environmental information from Japan to the world, with the
aim of helping both move onto a sustainable path.
See what’s new on our web site:
http://www.japanfs.org/en/
E-mail:
info@japanfs.org
In the October 2014 issue of the JFS Newsletter:
– Initiatives for Explaining the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster in a
Simple Manner
– Japan Celebrates One Year Completely Nuclear-free:
Second Phase of Energy [R]evolution Begins
– What Kind of Economy Produces True Affluence? – Interview with
Philosopher Takashi Uchiyama
Initiatives for Explaining the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster in a
Simple Manner
http://naiic.net/en/
The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission
(NAIIC) was established by the National Diet of Japan in December 2011 to investigate the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant,
owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). The accident occurred
following the huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 off the
Pacific coast of Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region. The NAICC was
independent from any parties connected with the accident, such as the
government and TEPCO, and its members included Chairman Kiyoshi Kurokawa
(Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo) and ten commissioners with
knowledge and experience in relevant fields.
Established in accordance with the NAIIC Act, this Commission was
charged with investigating the circumstances and causes of the
nuclear accident and making proposals on measures and policies to
prevent the recurrence of nuclear plant accidents and to minimize damage
from any accidents that do occur. Chairman Kurokawa said at a press
conference, “We want to make it an investigation of the people, by the
people, and for the people. We hope to restore the world’s confidence in
Japan.”
Why did the accident occur? What background factors to the accident were
there? What will be needed to prevent recurrences? To answer these
questions, the NAIIC conducted a total of 900 hours of interviews with
1,167 people involved with the accident and a questionnaire survey of
more than 10,000 residents affected by the disaster. It also requested
over 2,000 documents from TEPCO and government regulatory agencies.
Videos of all meetings conducted by the NAIIC have been released. They
are available with simultaneous interpretation in English, and can be
seen at the following website, where they have been archived:
http://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/3856371/naiic.go.jp/en/resources/
Before being dissolved in July 2012, the NAIIC compiled a report that
concluded the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident was a man-made
disaster. The report (both in Japanese and English) and proceedings are
preserved at the National Diet Library.
http://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/3856371/naiic.go.jp/en/
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, which publishes
Science magazine, awarded Chairman Kurokawa the AAAS Award for
Scientific Freedom and Responsibility in 2012.
Seven recommendations, including the establishment of a permanent
committee in the National Diet to deal with issues regarding nuclear
power, were included in the report, but the National Diet was slow to
respond. It finally established the Special Committee on Nuclear Affairs
in the House of Representatives in January 2013, six months after the
report was submitted. This, however, has not served as a driving force.
Meanwhile, in the autumn of 2012, some former NAIIC staff members and
students voluntarily established a group called “The Simplest
Explanation of The National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident
Independent Investigation Commission Report.” Since it is difficult for
ordinary people to deal with the 600-page NAIIC report, this group’s
aim was to explain it in an easily understandable manner.
http://naiic.net/en/
Satoshi Ishibashi, former assistant to the chairman of NAIIC and former
NAIIC project leader, founded this project. The project’s website
provides the following explanation (partially reworded here).
We launched the project for “The Simplest NAIIC” in September 2012.
At that time, we had 18 members — young professionals who had engaged
in preparing the Diet Report of NAIIC, working adults and university
students — taking part in this project. In June 2013, we renamed the
organization “The Simplest Explanation of The National Diet of Japan
Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission Report”
and continued our activities. A high school student team was launched in
the autumn of 2013. As of January 2014, more than 1,000 people have
participated in our activities.
For the future of Japan, we believe that it is extremely important to
learn from the Fukushima nuclear accident, which will most likely appear
in world history textbooks in the future. It is our goal to face the
facts of nuclear accidents directly by having thorough dialogues and
discussions, and to connect with sensible people who want to make good
decisions and choices for the future of Japan.
We hope the following five questions will be debated and discussed in Japan.
– What happened during the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident?
– What can be learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident?
– What should we retain, and what must we change?
– How many options are on the table, and what values will our decisions
promote?
– What are we going to do in the short- and long-term perspectives?
In order to share what happened during the Fukushima nuclear accident
and what has been learned from it with as many people as possible, we
are now engaged in creating opportunities and venues for offering
information and holding discussions.
We want junior and senior high school students, college students and
young adults, who will be responsible for our future, to participate in
these discussions. The National Diet Report says, “the Fukushima Nuclear
Power Plant accident is not over. We, the Committee of Diet Report,
believe that it is the mission of legislators who were chosen by
citizens and of every individual in the country to make an effort to
reform.”
Let’s think together about the duties and missions of each individual.
The project’s website introduces “The Simplest NAIIC.” It describes the
NAIIC STORY BOOK, one facet of the project,  which has the following
four sections.
1. The Nuclear Power Plant Accident and Future Concerns
2. Regulatory Capture
3. Human Casualties of the Nuclear Power Plant Accident
4. Reading the NAIIC Report
http://naiic.net/en/storybook
Also on the website are six short, simple illustrated video clips. The
combined time of all the clips is only 16 minutes and 27 seconds.
Through these clips, viewers can learn about the NAIIC, the Fukushima
nuclear accident, what was done after the accident and social issues
regarding nuclear energy.
http://naiic.net/en/iv
The six video clips address the following questions:
1. What is the NAIIC?
2. Was the nuclear accident preventable?
3. What happened inside the nuclear plant?
4. What should have been done after the accident?
5. Could the damage have been contained?
6. What issues are there regarding nuclear energy?
In addition, this project holds workshops and lecture meetings, seminars
and lectures at universities, and reading sessions where participants
read the NAIIC report in turns. It also implements educational projects
and holds lectures at junior and senior high schools.
A senior high school student team was launched in April 2014 as a new
aspect of the project. Their activities include reading sessions in
which they read a part of the report together for about 30 to 40 minutes,
and then share their thoughts or indicate which part of the report
impressed them; and blog postings of articles which present compilations
of interviews with various experts and intellectuals the senior high
school students conducted on their own. The team gave a presentation on
October 27, 2014 at the 3rd Reference Group Meeting on Nuclear &
Radiological Emergency Preparedness — an international conference in
Fukushima hosted by the Japanese Red Cross Society and the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to establish action
guidelines in preparation for nuclear disasters.
In all activities sponsored by this project, three ground rules are
observed:
1.    No questioning of positions and ideas
2.    Pursuit of reasons for problems
3.    Interactive discussions (listening, learning and dialogues),
instead of debates (simply making claims and counter claims)
Ishibashi made the following remarks during my interview with him. “Our
attitude should be one of learning as much as possible from the accident,
and it was this attitude that the National Diet of Japan Fukushima
Nuclear Independent Investigation Commission took, but people are still
stuck in the same old mindset even after the report was published. I
discussed this issue with my colleagues and friends because I wanted as
many people as possible to know that not everyone is like that. The
starting point is looking at the facts rather than debating, and our
motto is ‘deepening inner reflection rather than attacking others.'”
Participants in the project’s activities hold dialogues calmly without
questioning whether their conversation partners are for or against
nuclear energy. At the same time, the project is undergoing a
trial-and-error process in terms of how to overcome the fixed
perceptions that each person has, such as “the nuclear energy issue is
too complicated to understand if you are not an expert” and “we should
not interfere in the domain of experts,” and the brain-freeze people
experience as a result of these perceptions. It is also grappling with
the problem of getting people who have no interest in nuclear energy to
think about it. “It is important to keep asking National Diet members
what they intend to do about the points and suggestions made in the
report,” says Ishibashi.
As people’s interest in and awareness of the nuclear plant accident
continues to fade, I have high hopes for the Simplest NAIIC Project as a
means of encouraging each individual to face this issue and continue to
keep it in mind. I also hope that people outside Japan will view the
illustrated English video clips and storybooks on the project’s website,
in order to learn lessons from the Fukushima nuclear accident and
utilize those lessons for themselves.
http://naiic.net/en/
Written by Junko Edahiro
Japan Celebrates One Year Completely Nuclear-free: Second Phase of
Energy [R]evolution Begins
The Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 caused a tremendous damage
and loss of life, as well as a serious nuclear accident at the Fukushima
No. 1 nuclear power plant, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). The
accident led to a national review of nuclear policies, and after series
of shutdowns, Japan has had no nuclear plants operating for more than
one year, since September 15, 2013.
Decrease rate of electricity sales and operation rate of nuclear power
plants
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id032737.html
With Greenpeace Japan’s kind permission, we reprint this briefing paper,
“Nuclear Free Japan one year,” which was released on September 10, 2014.
It covers Japan’s energy mix, carbon dioxide emissions, and the growing
use of renewable energy by comparing the situation before and after the
nuclear accident.
(Below is our adapted version of the original Japanese article.)
On September 15, 2014, Japan marked the passage of one complete year
with no commercial nuclear reactors in operation. On that date a year
earlier, Kansai Electric shut down the Ohi 4 reactor in Fukui Prefecture
— which was the only reactor operating in Japan at the time.
Immediately after the unprecedented March 2011 nuclear accident at the
Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, owned by the Tokyo Electric Power
Co. (TEPCO), many people believed it was an unrealistic hope for Japan
to become nuclear-free. However, only three and a half years after the
accident, Japan celebrated one full year without any electricity from
its nuclear reactors, surviving even a hot summer, when electricity
demand normally reaches its annual peak.
There has been a delay in restarting 20 reactors at 13 nuclear power
plants, for which electric companies have applied for government
permission to restart. Meanwhile, citizens and businesses are becoming a
driving force by introducing renewable, making voluntary efforts at
energy conservation, and increasing energy efficiency by involving local
communities. Japan has proven that it is able to sustain itself without
nuclear power for more than a year, so the tables have turned: it is now
looking more unrealistic for Japan to expect nuclear to be a leading
source of electricity. The day Japan celebrated one full nuclear-free
year should be seen as Day One of Japan’s renewable energy revolution —
a revolution that will firmly establish the safer and more sustainable
renewable forms of energy.
Japan’s Nuclear-Free Year
The devastating meltdown of three reactors at TEPCO’s Fukushima No. 1
nuclear power plant in March 2011 was just the beginning, and the
situation is still increasing in seriousness. These events have
triggered a greater public awareness of the risks of nuclear power, and
led to one nuclear power plant after another being shut down. Electric
power companies owning nuclear power plants are eager to restart them,
but among the 54 reactors across Japan which at one point supplied 30%
of electricity nationwide, it has become a certainty that all six
reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 plant will be decommissioned. As for the
remaining 48 reactors, 46 of them (96%) have not been used at all for
over two years. And on September 15, 2014, Japan reached a milestone of
one nuclear-free year, without any blackouts or brownouts. A whole year
without even one kilowatt from nuclear power.
Energy Saving and Natural Gas Have Offset the Electricity Shortage from
Nuclear
The shortage of electricity not being generated by nuclear power has
been covered by a reduction in electricity demand (from a combination of
energy conservation and energy efficiency), and increased power
generation, primarily from natural gas, followed by coal and oil.
See also: How Japan is filling the nuclear energy generation ‘deficit’
(in comparison of FY2010 and Fy 2013)
http://japanfs.org/en/files/news_141110_01_en.jpg
1.7 Trillion Yen, 13 Nuclear Reactors: The Power of Energy Efficiency
According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI),
electricity generated by thermal power plants increased by 190 Twh
(134%) in FY2013, compared with FY2010. On the other hand, total
electricity generation declined by 78.9 Twh in the same period, as
result of increased energy efficiency and conservation. This reduction
in electricity demand represents a saving of 1.7 trillion yen, the
equivalent cost of generation by imported fossil fuels. The reduction of
78.9 Twh is the same amount of electricity that 13 nuclear reactors
would generate in an entire year, and would sufficiently supply 22
million Japanese households. Japan’s GDP is the third largest in the
world, and while it declined by around 10% during the same period, it
was at its sixth highest point since 1960 as of FY2013. Japan’s highest
ever GDP was recorded in FY2012.

65% of Increased Fuel Costs Caused by Weaker Yen and Higher Oil Prices
Between FY2010 and FY2013, fossil fuel consumption at Japan’s ten
utilities increased by 38%, but purchasing cost increased by 126%. In
the same period, their fossil fuel purchases increased from 3.2 trillion
yen to 7.2 trillion yen, sometimes described as a 4 trillion yen loss of
national wealth. But the Institute of Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP)
estimates that if fluctuations in oil prices are eliminated from the
calculation, the increase in fossil fuel purchases would have been 4.6
trillion yen, including 1.4 trillion yen due to the nuclear shutdown.
ISEP’s study concludes that 65% of the 4 trillion, or 2.6 trillion, was
lost due to a combination of the depreciation of the Japanese yen and
increased oil prices in the global market.
What Is the Best Answer to Avoid Draining National Wealth?
Table 1 below describes a comparison of three electricity generation
sources. Importing uranium and fossil fuels means continuing to send
trillions of yen abroad every year. The most logical answer, if Japan
wished to avoid draining its national wealth, would be setting ambitious
goals and establishing the necessary policies as soon as possible,
aiming at expansion of energy efficiency and energy saving as well as
promoting renewable energy even further — rather than attempting to
restart nuclear plants or increasing fossil-fuel electricity generation.
Table 1. Comparison of Electricity Sources
http://japanfs.org/en/files/news_141110_02_en.jpg
No Rapid Increase of CO2 Emissions
All in all, the country’s rise in CO2 emissions after Fukushima has
been surprisingly moderate — notably smaller than what might have been
expected in proportion to the sudden loss of the world’s third largest
nuclear reactor fleet.
Coal and oil consumption, while up from 2010 to 2012, were still below
the levels before the 2008 economic crisis. The CO2 emissions from Japan’s
energy sector — both pre and post-Fukushima disaster — have maintained
the similar (unsustainable) growth trajectory that existed before the
disaster. The period 2009 – 2010 saw an annual CO2 increase of
approximately 7%, while 2010 – 2012 saw a rise of less than 8% in CO2
emissions. In short, the post-Fukushima CO2 figures do not represent
anything close to a sudden, drastic increase, but rather a continuation
of emission trends that were already problematic, and partly reflect a
bounce-back from the 2008 economic crisis.
See also: Japan’s fossil CO2 emissions and GDP 2000-2013
http://japanfs.org/en/files/news_141110_03_en.jpg
Renewables Now Generate Equivalent of 3 Nuclear Reactors and Are Growing
Since the start of Japan’s Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme in July 2012,
there has been a rapid nationwide increase in power generation from
renewable energy, particularly solar. A total of 18.1 Twh, sufficient to
supply five million Japanese households for an entire year, was generated
in FY2013 from renewable energy (excluding large hydroelectric).
This is equivalent to the electricity that would have been generated by
three nuclear reactors in one year. As a whole, 28.7 Twh of electricity
has been generated from solar, wind, geothermal, small hydroelectric,
and biomass in Japan since the beginning of the FIT to May 2014.
See also: Renewable electricity generation under Feed in Tariff scheme
http://japanfs.org/en/files/news_141110_04_en.jpg
Power to the People – 530,000 Micro Solar Power Stations
In the 23 months from the beginning of the FIT to May 2014, 680,000 new
renewable power stations started to operate Japan-wide. Most of that new
capacity of 10.4 GW  came from decentralized power stations, particularly
small scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. According to METI, the
majority (530,000 out of the 680,000 cases) were solar panels rated at
less than 10 kw, made for households. This means that every month
23,000 households in Japan became micro solar power stations, making the
transition from being electricity consumers, to become producers of
their own clean and safe electricity. These half a million micro solar
power stations generated 8.5 Twh in that 23-month period – equivalent to
the electricity that could be generated in a year by 1.4 nuclear
reactors.
Conclusion: From One Nuclear-Free Year to the Next Stage — Accelerating
the Green Energy Revolution
The notion that every commercial nuclear reactor in Japan, accounting
for 30% of the nation’s energy mix, would be shut down for over a year
would have been unimaginable before the Fukushima No.1 nuclear accident.
Nonetheless the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Fukushima nuclear
disaster, the introduction of the FIT, and the people of Japan
themselves have triggered a massive change. By September 15, 2014, for
the first time in nearly half a century, Japan had been free of nuclear
electricity for an entire year. This rapid reduction in nuclear
electricity generation was unprecedented in the history of nuclear power
globally. And significantly, it caused no electricity blackouts, though
they were raised as a concern at the beginning of nationwide nuclear
shutdown. Greenpeace issued its Energy [R]evolution scenario for Japan six months
after the Fukushima disaster. It showed that the country could stop
operating all its reactors in 2012 without creating blackouts. The
scenario has become reality. The potential for solar PV installation
predicted in the document has also been matched by actual developments.
It goes on to demonstrate that Japan can gain 43% of its electricity
from renewables by 2020.
http://www.energyblueprint.info/1342.0.html?&L=0
Nuclear power plants did not resume operations by the summer of 2014,
and many unresolved safety, legal and political challenges still lie
ahead. Led by citizens, communities, and industry, Japan is moving
forward to increase energy efficiency and expand the supply of renewable
energy. The government, however, is ignoring the lessons of Fukushima and
attempting to delay the renewable revolution, trying to take the nation
back to its dependence on dangerous and unreliable nuclear power. It’s
the wrong energy policy for the future of Japan. Policy should be based
on energy efficiency and renewables. The government should be focusing
on numerous tasks such as managing the ongoing nuclear disaster at
Fukushima, supporting its victims, securing safety for residents near
the plants, and setting aggressive national targets for energy
efficiency, renewables, and CO2 emission reductions, rather than
restarting nuclear reactors. Greenpeace stands together with the people
of Japan to demand that this historic one year of being nuclear free
should be the beginning of a clean and safe energy future. Adapted from Greenpeace Japan’s briefing paper
“Nuclear Free Japan one year” released on September 10, 2014
See also: Nuclear Free Japan one year
http://www.greenpeace.org/japan/Global/japan/pdf/20140910nuke-zero_en.pdf
What Kind of Economy Produces True Affluence? – Interview with
Philosopher Takashi Uchiyama
The Institute for Studies in Happiness, Economy and Society, with JFS as
its outreach partner, is undertaking a project, “What Is Economic Growth?
— Interviews with 100 People,” in collaboration with Patagonia Japan.
The project aims to encourage people to think about economic growth by
asking specialists from many different fields to share their ideas about
economic growth. Here we introduce the responses of the philosopher
Takashi Uchiyama.
Edahiro: What is economic growth?
Uchiyama: I think that it simply means growth in GDP; I don’t think
there are any other definitions.
As was the case in postwar Japan, when the process starts from a state
of chaos after defeat in war, economic growth enables people to first
satisfy their hunger, and then buy many more things and enjoy a feeling
of affluence. When social infrastructure has been destroyed in the
course of military defeat, the society must regain a certain level of
stability. Numerically, this means growth in GDP. This process may also
be described as, for example, “reconstruction of the society.” But,
once this stage is over, I wonder if economic growth and affluence are
really connected.
Edahiro: Is economic growth a good thing?
Uchiyama: I do not think that capitalism can divorce itself from
economic growth, because it is an economic system that creates constant
market competition. To succeed in the market, companies have to
continuously reduce prices. In this situation, if the pie, or GDP, does
not grow, as companies try to lower prices and rationalize production,
the result is a surplus of labor. The number of people out of work
increases and wages decrease.
If this situation were to be left as is, it would be fatal to capitalism.
Firstly because it would compromise social stability, and secondly
because the increase in unemployed and low-wage workers would lead to a
decrease in purchasing power, which would shrink the market.
Therefore, to overcome the effects of competition and ensure that
society runs smoothly, GDP has to continuously grow. Otherwise,
capitalism will destroy itself. So, for better or worse, the capitalist
system requires economic growth.
Edahiro: In that case, for how long and to what extent will capitalism
require economic growth?
Uchiyama: Capitalism is essentially a mechanism that has no choice but
to seek perpetual economic growth. Of course, strains and distortions
arise, but all of them have to be ignored for the mechanism to persist.
In order for capitalism to continue to develop indefinitely, it has to
postulate an inexhaustible supply of natural resources. This argument
has been under discussion since the days of the industrial revolution in
Britain. Nature provides all the materials needed for everything that is
produced, and so there must always be enough natural resources to ensure
continuous growth in GDP.
It is quite obvious that natural resources are finite, but capitalism is
based on an assumption that they are inexhaustible. Since the industrial
revolution to the present time we have been acting as if we had an
infinite supply of natural resources.
Anyone can see that this assumption is unreasonable. So, who is going to
correct this? The answer used to be “future developments in science.”
The reasoning behind this answer was that scientific developments some
time in the future will solve all the problems that have not been dealt
with yet. This means simply throwing everything at future science,
doesn’t it?
Examples of “throwing everything at future science” are ongoing even
today, nuclear power being one example. We all know that nuclear power
generation produces radioactive waste. Even if nuclear plants cause no
accidents, there is still the immense problem of what to do with the
radioactive waste. The solution, again, is being thrown entirely
on “future science.”
Edahiro: This is the notion that future science and technology will
solve the problems we are now facing, isn’t it? I call this “the fantasy
of the knight on white horse.” Is it really possible for the economy to
keep growing without limits?
Uchiyama: I believe we need a major shift. Let’s take an example of
Ueno, a village located in Gunma Prefecture, where I have a second home.
When considering the economy on the level of Japan or the world, we have
to accept the mechanism of capitalism.
However, on the village level, Ueno’s economy simply seeks the
well-being of the residents, not an increase in GDP. People simply hope
to create a closed-loop, sustainable economic system by using resources
available in the village, and to live without having to make excessive
efforts to make ends meet. In Ueno, where local communities still remain
solid, there is a sense of well-being among people who live in harmony
with nature.
Thinking locally, we can imagine an economy requiring no growth. If
residents have enough to live on in a closed-loop economy, their
happiness depends on whether they can create a comfortable community.
In Ueno, people are rather integrally addressing two challenges: how to
build a local economy and how to create their community. Most villagers
say without hesitation that the economy is not everything. This is
because they know they have another challenge, building a comfortable
community.
By contrast, the mega-scale economy can only be grasped in the form of
figures. For example, people might say that, without GDP growth,
unemployment will increase by one million. Numerical solutions are
sought and no reasonable answer can be conceived without GDP growth.
This suggests that people take completely different conceptual
approaches to the mega-scale economy and to small-scale or local-level
economies. Modern society has been moving on the mega-scale, but now
more people are thinking about economy on a small scale.
In Japan, most regional areas formerly had their own local commercial
zones. It was only later, during the high growth period, that all these
economies started to move in step with the mega-scale economy.
Now we find that we had better return to local commercial zones wherever
possible. Big cities such as Tokyo will find it difficult to return
towards this economic style, but small scale communities such as Ueno
can.
Even Ueno has to buy things from the outside and sell products to the
outside. From the local economy viewpoint, we see that Ueno annually
ships farm products equivalent to 100 million yen (about U.S.$926,000)
while buying an approximately equivalent amount of goods from the
outside.

In the process of exporting goods equivalent to 100 million yen from the
village, local people also take into considering how to do this without
damaging its natural environment. At present, they export farm produce
such as mushrooms and some processed food while also profiting from
tourism. They will be satisfied if they can earn enough money to buy
what they need from the outside. If they can balance the budget in terms
of their own local area, they are satisfied.
Ueno Village in Gunma Prefecture is an example of a locally-based
economy that requires no growth. This case can contribute to the
discussion about how beliefs in economic growth should be drastically
changed.
In the next issue, we will present topics about the adverse effects of
social change when society moves from being community-based to
individual-based, and the relationship between a sustainable and happy
society and the economy. Don’t miss it!
(To be continued in the November issue.)
From “What Is Economic Growth? — Interviews with 100 People,”
by the Institute for Studies in Happiness, Economy and Society
Interview and Edit by Junko Edahiro
[JFS Web Site Additions of the Month]
– This month’s cartoon:
“Administration’s Role” on the Eco Cartoons Page
(2014/10/10)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/manga/manga_id035064.html
– We updated two graphs on “Trends in various actors after nuclear
accident” page:
Decrease Rate of Electricity Sales and Operation Rate of Nuclear Power
Plants (2014/10/02)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id032737.html
– JFS Newsletter No.145 (September 2014)
Kochi’s Challenge — A Prefecture Tackling Depopulation
(Part 2)(2014/10/21)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035061.html
Planning for an Ethical Focus for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
(2014/10/09)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035059.html
An Experiment From Green Valley in Kamiyama Town, Tokushima,
Japan: How to Make Depopulated Areas Attractive(2014/09/30)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035053.html
– Updated contents in
“Miracle Miracle — A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future”
Miracle Report:
Cars Fueled with Recycled Cooking Oil!? (2014/10/23)
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000149.html
Rent-A-Cycle Programs Gaining Popularity in Cities Worldwide (2014/10/18)
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000141.html
What Do You Do with Clothes You Don’t Wear Anymore? (2014/10/02)
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000132.html
The Japan for Sustainability newsletter is a free monthly newsletter
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Copyright (c) 2014, Japan for Sustainability. All Rights Reserved.
We invite you to forward our articles or use information on the JFS
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—————————————————————————————————

Study Shows Growing Number of Young Japanese Urbanites Want to Settle in
Rural Areas
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035071.html

Japan is one of the first countries in the world to face, head-on, the
serious issues of depopulation and an aging society. We introduce here
the results of a public opinion poll on the changing attitudes of
Japanese urban youth, which perhaps could point to a resolution of the
problem of population over-concentration in the Tokyo Metropolitan area
(outlined previously in an article in the June 2014 issue of the JFS Newsletter, titled “Depopulation of Society: Debate in Japan, One of the
World’s First Countries to Face the Issues”).
According to the Statistics Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications, in its report published April 15, 2014,
Japan’s total population (as of October 1, 2013) was 127,298,000 people,
with 13.3 million of them living in Tokyo and accounting for 10.4% of
the total population, meaning that one out of every ten people in Japan
lives in Tokyo.
While Japan has experienced three consecutive years of declining total
population, it’s important to note that when looked at by prefecture,
although population declined in 39 prefectures, it actually increased in
eight. The population of the Tokyo Metropolitan area this year grew by
0.53%, the highest among all prefectures and at a rate higher than last
year, so it appears that population over-concentration will continue in
Tokyo despite Japan’s overall declining total population trend.
The relationship between Tokyo’s overconcentration of population and the
depopulation of rural areas has been an open question for some time, and
there are growing concerns about how to overcome this trend in order to
build a more sustainable country. The results of a survey, titled
“Public Opinion Survey on the Rural Areas,” released by the Cabinet
Office of Japan on August 9, 2014, revealed some interesting findings.
It targeted 3,000 men and women, and found that about 31.6% of
respondents who live in an “urban area” or “kind of urban area” have a
yearning to resettle in a rural area, an increase from 20.6% in the
previous survey, conducted in November 2005.
In terms of gender differences, more men than women expressed a desire
to settle in a rural area. Broken down by age group, 38.7% of
respondents in their twenties wanted to move to a rural area, followed
by those in their forties (35.5%) and sixties (33.7%). The fact that
nearly 40% of Japanese in their twenties want to live in a rural area
may be a sign of changes in the future of Japan.
On the other hand, 700 respondents living in rural or semi-rural areas
were asked how they feel about people moving in from the cities. The
results showed 85.3% in favor, which was higher than the 65.7% in the
previous survey. This increase indicates that on the “receiving end,”
the rural dwellers have become more favorable to urbanites moving into
their areas.
When asked what might hinder new-comers from settling in rural areas,
63.0% cited a lack of jobs to establish their livelihoods, which had
been 54.0% in the previous survey.
The rural and semi-rural residents were also asked what they thought
were problems with living in rural areas, and 32.7%, the largest
percentage, answered “lack of jobs.” These findings suggest that job
creation would be the key both for rural residents to stay in the area
and urbanites to move there.
We’re looking at approaches and measures to tackle this issue, which I
would like to discuss in later articles, so stay tuned!
Junko Edahiro
** Corporate / CSR **
NEC to Offer Social Business Class for Retirees
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035073.html
Japan’s NEC Corporation announced on July 8, 2014, that it will again
hold the NEC Takumi Juku (meaning “craftsman class” in Japanese) for
corporate retirees seeking opportunities to utilize their skills and
experience in social contribution activities or social business. The
program is designed to help senior professionals to work in professional
volunteer services (pro bono) at an NPO or NGO, or to start a social
enterprise of their own, thereby promoting the creation of new
community-oriented businesses and job opportunities.
NEC Takumi Juku will be a six-month program organized by NEC and the
Japan Philanthropic Association. It will offer workshops on life
planning, the basics of social business, as well as volunteer
experiences, through which participants can look back on their careers
and find clues for how they can utilize their skills and experiences to
solve social issues.
Held annually since 2011, the program has had 25 participants in total,
17 of whom have begun a new stage in their career, including NPOs and
social businesses.
The program has been well received by academic experts, as noted in one
of the reports published at the annual meeting of the World Economic
Forum held in January 2014. Yoko Ishikura, coauthor of the report and
professor at Keio University Graduate School in Japan, profiled the NEC
initiative in her article “Reinvigorating Japan’s Economy with More
Women and Older Workers,” as an innovative approach that enables older
workers to contribute their skills and experience to society after
retirement.
Newly Arrived Articles from Japan for Sustainability
21 – 27 Oct. 2014
Kochi’s Challenge — A Prefecture Tackling Depopulation (Part 2)
JFS Newsletter No.145 (September 2014)
A previous issue of the JFS Newsletter (No.144) introduced comprehensive
efforts by Japan’s Kochi Prefecture, quoted from a speech by Governor
Masanao Ozaki promoting industry, entitled “Kochi’s Challenge — A
Prefecture Tackling Depopulation.” Kochi has been experiencing the
problem of depopulation, which is common throughout the nation, but it
is happening earlier here than in other prefectures. This article
introduces a variety of other ideas being considered and efforts being
made by this prefecture.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035061.html
-:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-
What’s New This Week from Miracle Miracle
— A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future
( 21 – 27 Oct. 2014 )
-:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-
Miracle Report: Cars Fueled with Recycled Cooking Oil!?
To run buses or cars, fuels such as gasoline are needed. But would you
like to use a car that runs on recycled cooking oil collected from homes
instead of gasoline?
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000149.html
# # #
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Copyright (c) 2014, Japan for Sustainability. All Rights Reserved.

——————————————————————————————–

JFS WEEKLY  21 – 27 Oct. 2014

** Steady-State Economy **

Study Shows Growing Number of Young Japanese Urbanites Want to Settle in
Rural Areas
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035071.html
Japan is one of the first countries in the world to face, head-on, the
serious issues of depopulation and an aging society. We introduce here
the results of a public opinion poll on the changing attitudes of
Japanese urban youth, which perhaps could point to a resolution of the
problem of population over-concentration in the Tokyo Metropolitan area
(outlined previously in an article in the June 2014 issue of the JFS
Newsletter, titled “Depopulation of Society: Debate in Japan, One of the
World’s First Countries to Face the Issues”).

According to the Statistics Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications, in its report published April 15, 2014,
Japan’s total population (as of October 1, 2013) was 127,298,000 people,
with 13.3 million of them living in Tokyo and accounting for 10.4% of
the total population, meaning that one out of every ten people in Japan
lives in Tokyo.

While Japan has experienced three consecutive years of declining total
population, it’s important to note that when looked at by prefecture,
although population declined in 39 prefectures, it actually increased in
eight. The population of the Tokyo Metropolitan area this year grew by
0.53%, the highest among all prefectures and at a rate higher than last
year, so it appears that population over-concentration will continue in
Tokyo despite Japan’s overall declining total population trend.

The relationship between Tokyo’s overconcentration of population and the
depopulation of rural areas has been an open question for some time, and
there are growing concerns about how to overcome this trend in order to
build a more sustainable country. The results of a survey, titled
“Public Opinion Survey on the Rural Areas,” released by the Cabinet
Office of Japan on August 9, 2014, revealed some interesting findings.

It targeted 3,000 men and women, and found that about 31.6% of
respondents who live in an “urban area” or “kind of urban area” have a
yearning to resettle in a rural area, an increase from 20.6% in the
previous survey, conducted in November 2005.

In terms of gender differences, more men than women expressed a desire
to settle in a rural area. Broken down by age group, 38.7% of
respondents in their twenties wanted to move to a rural area, followed
by those in their forties (35.5%) and sixties (33.7%). The fact that
nearly 40% of Japanese in their twenties want to live in a rural area
may be a sign of changes in the future of Japan.

On the other hand, 700 respondents living in rural or semi-rural areas
were asked how they feel about people moving in from the cities. The
results showed 85.3% in favor, which was higher than the 65.7% in the
previous survey. This increase indicates that on the “receiving end,”
the rural dwellers have become more favorable to urbanites moving into
their areas.

When asked what might hinder new-comers from settling in rural areas,
63.0% cited a lack of jobs to establish their livelihoods, which had
been 54.0% in the previous survey.

The rural and semi-rural residents were also asked what they thought
were problems with living in rural areas, and 32.7%, the largest
percentage, answered “lack of jobs.” These findings suggest that job
creation would be the key both for rural residents to stay in the area
and urbanites to move there.

We’re looking at approaches and measures to tackle this issue, which I
would like to discuss in later articles, so stay tuned!

Junko Edahiro

** Corporate / CSR **

NEC to Offer Social Business Class for Retirees
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035073.html
Japan’s NEC Corporation announced on July 8, 2014, that it will again
hold the NEC Takumi Juku (meaning “craftsman class” in Japanese) for
corporate retirees seeking opportunities to utilize their skills and
experience in social contribution activities or social business. The
program is designed to help senior professionals to work in professional
volunteer services (pro bono) at an NPO or NGO, or to start a social
enterprise of their own, thereby promoting the creation of new
community-oriented businesses and job opportunities.

NEC Takumi Juku will be a six-month program organized by NEC and the
Japan Philanthropic Association. It will offer workshops on life
planning, the basics of social business, as well as volunteer
experiences, through which participants can look back on their careers
and find clues for how they can utilize their skills and experiences to
solve social issues.

Held annually since 2011, the program has had 25 participants in total,
17 of whom have begun a new stage in their career, including NPOs and
social businesses.

The program has been well received by academic experts, as noted in one
of the reports published at the annual meeting of the World Economic
Forum held in January 2014. Yoko Ishikura, coauthor of the report and
professor at Keio University Graduate School in Japan, profiled the NEC
initiative in her article “Reinvigorating Japan’s Economy with More
Women and Older Workers,” as an innovative approach that enables older
workers to contribute their skills and experience to society after
retirement.

Newly Arrived Articles from Japan for Sustainability
21 – 27 Oct. 2014
Kochi’s Challenge — A Prefecture Tackling Depopulation (Part 2)
JFS Newsletter No.145 (September 2014)

A previous issue of the JFS Newsletter (No.144) introduced comprehensive
efforts by Japan’s Kochi Prefecture, quoted from a speech by Governor
Masanao Ozaki promoting industry, entitled “Kochi’s Challenge — A
Prefecture Tackling Depopulation.” Kochi has been experiencing the
problem of depopulation, which is common throughout the nation, but it
is happening earlier here than in other prefectures. This article
introduces a variety of other ideas being considered and efforts being
made by this prefecture.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035061.html

-:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-:*:–:*:-
What’s New This Week from Miracle Miracle
— A Place for Global Kids to Create the Future
( 21 – 27 Oct. 2014 )
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Miracle Report: Cars Fueled with Recycled Cooking Oil!?

To run buses or cars, fuels such as gasoline are needed. But would you
like to use a car that runs on recycled cooking oil collected from homes
instead of gasoline?
http://miracle-kids.net/en/report/2014/rpt_id000149.html

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