$300 million cost for Germanwings crash

Allianz estimated that the insurer would have to pay about $300 million for the crash of Germanwings. Allianz is the lead insurer for Germanwings and has a legal obligation to estimate the cost.

According to Reuters, the initial estimate represents about 20 percent of the $1.5 billion in premiums in the global market for airline insurance. The estimate includes the loss of the aircraft, which is seen at about $6.5 million, the recovery efforts, legal fees and indemnification of the passengers' families.

It tells how huge the amount is. I wonder how the company pursues the liability of the dead co-pilot who caused this crash. In Japan, a employer (company) is responsible for the damage caused by an employee and can pursues the liability to the employee to the reasonable extent.

Though I don’t know till what extent is “reasonable extent”, the left family of the co-pilot has to wave inheritance otherwise they will definitely be bankrupt.

Otsuka Kagu proxy fight

A Japanese major furniture sailor “Otuka Kagu(Kagu means furniture)” held its shareholders’ meeting the other day. The company was established by Mr. Katsuhisa Otuka and now run by his eldest daughter, Kumiko Otsuka.

Katsuhisa adopted a business model where staff is accompany with customers while they see around the shop. He made much of selling high-priced luxurious furniture. However, Kumiko changed the policy and tried to make the store more open such as Nitori or IKEA.

Katsuhisa and Kumiko gradually confronted against each other and Kumiko made Katsuhisa resigned from the board of directors. As Katsuhisa is the most major shareholder, he proposed a new management and tried to pull her down.

As the result of proxy fight, Kumiko won the general shareholders’ trust and won the fight. She remains president of the company but Katsuhisa remains the major shareholder occupying 18% of the total too.

I personally agree to her opinion and support her idea that it is necessary to strengthen the corporate governance of the company. As a customer, I and my wife have visted Otuka Kagu several times and has bought some furnitures at Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo.

At the time (maybe 10 years ago), as Katsuhisa adoped the said system, a staff was following us while seeing around the store. For us, it was a bit uncomfortable and awkward because we could not have a private talk as the staff was nearby and also, we felt pressure that we need to buy something.

After that experience, we have never visited Otsuka Kagu again. It is not that we hate Otuka Kagu. But we are more interested in IKEA or other boutiques. I hope Kumiko lead the company to the right way and regain both customer’s trust and profit.

Best know Japanese in West

The late Emperor Showa is the most famous Japanese in the West while there is no respondent in the United States who answers Prime Minister Abe. This survey is conducted in January with 1,000 respondents of each country. It is certain that PM Abe is not valued as he believes.

The DPJ recruits women candidates

The DPJ will make a public audition in order to recruit women candidates for local or national assembly members. I think this is good movement for the party. In Japan, the Diet women members occupy only approximately 8 % of all of the seats, ranking the 129^th among the world. It is too small number to emphasize equality between men and women. There are opinions that introduce Quota system which requires certain target proportions to a political group such as women or minorities. It is worth considering implementing the system while the detail should be scrutinized.

The university of Tokyo created a new vaccine for Ebola

Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a professor of school of Medicine, the university of Tokyo will announce that a new vaccine for Ebola is developed and acquire a preventing effect on monkeys. It is expected that it would contribute for cure Ebola hemorrhagic fever disease. 

Air-conditioner will be equipped in Tokorozawa

An exceptional referendum was taken place in February. As the result, the votes for exceeded the votes against by approximately 25 thousand, the mayor made a decision that the city would equip the air-conditioner. As there is a SDF(Self Defence Force) base nearby, it is necessary to shut out the noises.

A German plane fell

It is found that a Germanwings plane crashed in th French Alps. About 150 people were on board including a group of exchange students and two opera singers. There seems no survivors in the accident, it is a tragedy. I feel deep condolence to the victims and remained families.

Residency visas for foreign entrepreneurs to be relaxed

The Justice Ministry will relax the residency criteria for foreigners who establish and run companies in Japan. So far, registering business entities before coming to Japan is difficult. However, from next month, the ministry will grant residency status to investors and business managers even if they have not registered a company yet. That would facilitate foreigners to come to Japan and do business there.

14,000 people gathered claiming against Abe administration

Yesterday, people who are against PM Abe made an anti-government demonstration. They yelled and criticized for Abe’s decision such as national security and nuclear power enhancement.

High school students and university students also participated in this demonstration and some of them made a speech in front of the other participants.

This events were broadcast by Tokyo Shinbun, Asahi Shinbun and local Hokaaido Shinbun but neglected or too silently broadcast by Yomiuri Shinbun or Sankei Shinbun. The stance against the Abe administration is quite obvious.

Measures for Declining Birthrate

The government made a general principle on measures for declining birthrate. It contains of 28 policies including labor, social security, education and so on. As Japan’s birthrate is very low compared with other countries, it is very important to make the principle.

However, what matters is implementation of the principle. The policy belongs to the Cabinet Office where budget and human resources are not sufficient. If the government does make much of the implementation of the principle, it should set up a ministry for the policy. I believe it is worth doing it. The shortest way to increase birthrate is to give more importance on the policy.

Tunisia terror attack

I feel my condolence to the victims of the terror attack at the national museum of Tunis, Tunisia. Among 23 victims, 3 Japanese are included. Another 3 more Japanese are injured. At the same time, I strictly condemn the suspects and the organization where they belong to. It is reported the organization has a strong tie with ISIS. ISIS is also condemned.

On the following day, there was another suicide bomb attack in Aden, Yemen and the death toll reached 137. At least 13 children are included in the number. A purported affiliate of ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.

I wonder how they could do such horrible things. I am concerned that the area and countries targeted and affected by ISIS are widening day by day.

20 years has passed since sarin attack happened

On this day today of 20 years ago, The Aum Supreme Truth cult made an attack by sarin, which is a colorless, odorless liquid that is used as a chemical weapon owing to its extreme potency as a nerve agent and caused that 13 people died and more than 6,000 injured.

At that time, I was a university student and lived along the Marunouchi Line which was one of the targets of the attack. I used to use Marunouchi Line at Shin Nakano station to the university of Tokyo which locates near Hongo 3 chome sation of Marunouchi Line. The time of attack was morning 8 am. I often got on a train around that time if I had a class in the morning.

However, as school was off at that day due to spring vacation, I had been back to my home town and away from the terror fortunately. I felt scared when I saw the news and received many calls from my friends.

It was a horrible crime and the suspects were arrested and the leaders have already sentenced death penalty including Chizuo Matsumoto, head of the Aum. They deserve death for their sins.

Shunto talks

“Shunto” is translated as Spring fight, which means wage negotiations between company and its labor unions. This year, pay scale hikes are record high in the major auto and electronics makers. However, wages of the small size companies are not raised as expected, the gap between major companies and small companies become wider.

School English education does not work

The education ministry revealed the results of English test for the 3^rd year high school students. It shows that 70% of them remains the level of middle school. It implies that the school English education does not work. Especially, speaking and writing are awful.

I guess the biggest reason of the result is that they are not motivated to skill up English because they are forced to learn English not for communication but for entrance exam for university. It is reluctant for most of them to study hard. Among other things, English is one of the most reluctant subjects with mathematics.

Students try to remember English words as many as possible without having a chance to utilize the words though it is more important to express with simple words in real communication.

I suppose the subject music should be more connected with English such as singing English songs or playing an English musical.

Momii should resign soon

It is found that the top of NHK, Katsuto Momii used the NHK’s official hired car for his private purpose.  An anonymous accusation was brought by an NHK employee the other day and Momii was questioned at the Diet committee over the incident. He acknowledged the fact and he insisted that he was going to compensate for the fee.

However, it is very inappropriate that he used an organization resource for his private purpose as NHK depends on its viewers’ fees. Large criticism may be anticipated as once the former top of NHK Katsuji Ebisawa was forced to resign when the fact that employees of NHK made a fraudulent accounting.

Momii should resign immediately.

Abe’s approval rate is falling

According to NHK, the latest approval rate of Abe’s cabinet is 47.6% down by 3.4% compared to the previous month. I guess money scandals of the ministers and the love scandal of a woman vice-minister affect the falling down. Abe cannot be arrogant as he now is.

The Univ. of Tokyo ranks the 12th

According to the “Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2015”, the best university is Harvard University. The second and the following top rank order is Cambridge, Oxford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

The University of Tokyo ranks the 12^th. It is the only university except for the USA and British universities ranking till the best 12^th. Seeing the top 100, the USA universities occupies 43 out of 100. It’s amazing.

I hope the university of Tokyo ranks within 10 as an alumni.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen launched

The Hokuriku Shinkansen has just been launched today. The first trains from both terminals of Tokyo station and Kanazawa station has departed.

It was a dearest wish for both Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures. They are looking forward to having many tourists coming. On the other hand, Nagano and Niigata prefectures are not necessarily welcome mode. For Nagano, the name “Nagano Shinkansen” was vanished as of today. For Niigata, some of the local railways will be transferred to the private sector train. The rapid train “Kagayaki” does not stop at a station in Niigata.

Toyota becomes the top Olympic sponsor

Toyota Motor Corp. announced that they would become a top-ranked Olympic sponsor as the world’s first automaker. The sum of the contract is estimated as \100 billion. The contract will continue from this year to 2024.

Toyota has been well known that it backed up the FIFA Club World Championship (it used to be “TOYOTA CUP.”

It’s a joke but I expected Audi would be the sponsor of Olympic because the logo is very close to Olympic logo :-).

Hatoyama’sbehavior unacceptable

Yukio Hatoyama, former PM of Japan is visiting Crimea, which Russia annexed in March last year. He did not follow the government’s request to cancel the trip and visited Crimea area with a Russia-issued visa, which implies legitimacy of Russia’s annexation of Crima. In addition, he reportedly argued that his country is now dominated by Western views of the Crimea issue.Hatoyama repeated the same problems on the Senkaku island 2 years ago.

His behavior is totally unacceptable. Though he used to belong to the DPJ, the DPJ should condemn him on its matter otherwise the DPJ might be regarded to back up the Russian point of view.

4 years after the great earthquake

Today is the fourth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. I remember that day clearly. I was at the members’ office of the Diet at the time. I felt a sudden shake then the shake became stronger and continued for about 4 or 5 minutes.

I switched on the TV. Eventually, the Tsunami hit the coasts of Tohoku area, which was disastrous and could not help shouting.  About 229,000 people are still away from their hometown and having inconvenient life.

Journalists gather for dismissal of top of NHK

NHK, the Japan broadcasting corporation, is in trouble. Mr. Katsuto Momii is the top of NHK and he incurs lots of criticisms by his mouth. Especially, he makes ultra nationalistic comments several times and is very skeptical on neutrality.

About 140 Journalists gathered yesterday for his dismissal. In the event, a participant reported that the number of signatures for his dismissal reached over 74,000.

He should resign or dismissed as soon as possible.

Abe Non Stop Train

The LDP held the annual convention yesterday. Abe strengthened to win the unified local elections and at the same time, he strongly implied his intention to revise the Constitution. His goal is clear. However, this would be a disastrous scenario for Japan.

Organization’s political donation should be abolished

The DPJ should submit a bill which abolish organization’s political donation to the Diet. The JCP (Japan Communist Party) and the JIP (Japan Innovation Party) has each submitted the bill.

The DPJ should co-operate with the JIP on this matter and should address people for supporting them.  Actually, it is no likely that an organization donates to a party or a politician without any request or demand. Political donation has been used for the purpose.