I am sure that you are fine and doing well in the fighting period against Corona virus disease.
Some time ago, I have read in a book dealing with the history of Myanmar, that the word corresponding to “north” has the original meaning of “big river”, and the word for “south” has the meaning of “high mountain” in the language of Burma. Is it true?
I have another question. When you count numbers by a hand and fingers, do you open your hand first and then fold your fingers inside starting from the thumb finger? Japanese also count numbers like that.
I am sorry for disturbing you so often. Thank you for your help.
No problem. You can ask any time and I will try to answer your questions as much as I can.
Sensei, I think the original meaning of North in language of Myanmar is frequency (e.g. 1st times, 2nd times, etc.), and the big River is the characteristic of North region.
Also the meaning of South is mountain, only one word is enough to mention south in language of Myanmar.
Sensei, in Buddha text, we can understand the roots of Myanmar and Japanese people.
Tibet can be one of our Buddhism literature. But I am sorry I didn't read it yet. I am sure you can explore that by searching in Buddhism literature written by English.
福島原発処理水(トリチウム未処理水)の海洋投棄について考える。
Discussion on the marine disposal of treated (untreated for tritium) waste water from the ruined Fukushima Atomic Power Plant. (in Japanese)
Two years have passed since the military coup occurred in Myanmar on the 1st February 2021.
I had opportunities to teach soil science and climate change at the Yezin Agricultural University (YAU in Naypyidaw, Myanmar) two weeks each in 2019 and 2020, and could have many friends among the teaching staffs and students. However, after the coup, some of my friends should have to leave the university because they participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Even if not purged from the university, many staffs should keep silence and endure the inconvenient and difficult academic life. Not only the university people, citizens in Myanmar who is seeking for the freedom and human rights are continuing the hard life.
Under such circumstances, how Japanese government contributed to solve the problem in Myanmar? Japanese government and conservative politicians insisted that they have contact pipes both to the military government of Myanmar and to the democratic party of Myanmar, and they can contribute to fix the problem. Japan side have never criticized the Myanmar military people strongly in these two years.
The connection pipe of Japanese government with the democratic party was very narrow and weak and Japanese government have not taken any activity to support the democracy and human right of Myanmar people. The tasks have been entrusted to the people of volunteer people.
Japanese government and economic people have deemed Myanmar as an economic partner and the object of economic development. They have said that “Myanmar is the last frontier in Asia”.
The strong pipe between the Myanmar military government and Japan meant that the Myanmar enterprises owned by the Myanmar military people get collateral money from Japanese enterprises, and in return for it Japan can get great profit from the economic activity in Myanmar. The Myanmar military government can oppress the Myanmar people using the money obtained from Japan. Japan should have to behave indifferent attitude to the result of their economic activity. In another word, they were all part of the same gang.
Can Japan proudly insist that she is a fair democratic country?
この共同声明に賛同したのは、以下の国々です。”The European Union, and the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Armenia, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Ghana, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.”
On 1. Feburuary, 2023. a joint statement was announced by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union, and the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Armenia, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Ghana, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States, on the two year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar.
Among the developed countries, such as EU, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand and Korea, Ukraine which is now attacked by Russia, and other countries which have experienced the miserable war between the folks such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia were also on the list of joint statement.
ASEAN countries, which neighbors Myanmar, are not on the list. However, they have already requested in cooperation “5 item agreements” to the Myanmar military government.
China, Russia and Japan did not make any statement on the occasion of the 2 years memorial day of the coup d’état by the Myanmar military power.
Maybe the statements by the each government should be a highly political matter. However, I think, China, Russia, and Japan are standing for the side of Military government of Myanmar.
Especially, Japan assumes that the military power of Myanmar will not fade in the future, and, therefore, it is more profitable to stand for the military side.
In conclusion, Japan has no intention to express the standpoint of “Justice”, “Lofty Ideals”, “Peace and democracy” and can not express a word of sympathy to the people of Myanmar.
I am very sad and ashamed for it.
2021年2月16日のコメント。
Simply, what is the standpoint of Japanese government?
The world is watching also Japan.
ミャンマーで3月28日に起きた大地震について
On the gigantic earthquake occurred on 28. March in Maynmar.
A gigantic earthquake occurred in Myanmar on 28. March. I still have not heard of the safety of many of my friends in Myanmar on 3. April.
I express my deep sympathy to my friends and the people in Myanmar who are affected by the gigantic earthquake today. I hope you are safe and recover from the damage quickly.
I am anxious about my friends who are suffering from the calamity of gigantic earthquake in Myanmar. I wish all of you are safe, surviving and getting over the difficult situation.
After completing all my lecture and practice in 2019 (above) and in 2020 (below).
Handing out the certificate of completing the course in 2019 (above) and in 2020 (below).
Field soil survey practice in 2020 (above) and in 2019 (below).
Field soil survey practice in 2020 (above) and in 2019 (below).
Field trip to Kyau-Se in 2019 (above), to Aung-Ban in 2020 (below).(
Distribution of hypocenters in the world.
Tectonic plates in the South-east Asia. Sunda plate covers the central area in this map. Most of the earthquakes in Myanmar are occurring in the boundary area of Indian plate and Eurasian plate.
Slippage of Sagaing Fault between Mandalay and Nay-Pyi-Taw in Myanmar (reported by Geospatial Information Authority of Japan on April 2).