A new TV series by NHK, Life force: evolution never ends started last night. This is a special series program broadcasted for six weeks every Sundays at 9 pm.
Life force is a nature documentary like Life series by BBC. The picutures present some of the most rare animals on earth and their life. The camera work is brilliant. NHK spent three years to film the animals and the changes in life events through seasons are beautifully presented. They use a high-speed camera to capture the quick movements of animals.
What, however, is very interesting is that the Japanese version of this program has a totall different title, Hotspots: the last paradise. NHK explains on its web page that the program shows endangered animals in so-called biodiversity hotspots. It's true that the regions that the program cover are designated as biodiversity hotspots, but the content of the program is more about the evolution of animals than the biodiversity at risk. In fact, NHK fails to mention about the key characteristics of hotspots that they are the most threatened and fragle ecosystems. NHK says on its webpage that biodiversity hotspots are modern-day Noah's ark and a paradice for animals. I think this is a big mistake and suppresses the fact that hotspots are threatened ecosystems and require urgent conservation actions.
For many people in Japan, this may be the first time that they hear biodiversity hotstpots. It is unfortunate that no scientifically valid explantion of the terminology is given in the program.
Monday, 31 January 2011
Saturday, 22 January 2011
45 people killed by snow.
My friends in Europe told me last month that it was very cold and snowy.
Now, cold spells came to Japan. It's been very cold everywhere in Japan and there has been much snow on the Japan Sea side of the archipelago. Up to yesterday, the death toll due to snow related accidents was 45 throughout Japan.
(Due to high mountain ranges running perpendicular to the direction of seasonal winds, Japan exhibits contrasting climates between the Japan Sea and Pacific Ocean sides of the archipelago, with the former receiving much snows while the latter remaining dry. )
In Tokyo, there has been no rain for more than one month and the air is very dry. Humidity is only about 30% in my room now. I heard on the news that the moisturisers are selling well in the chemists. I should go and buy one too...
Now, cold spells came to Japan. It's been very cold everywhere in Japan and there has been much snow on the Japan Sea side of the archipelago. Up to yesterday, the death toll due to snow related accidents was 45 throughout Japan.
(Due to high mountain ranges running perpendicular to the direction of seasonal winds, Japan exhibits contrasting climates between the Japan Sea and Pacific Ocean sides of the archipelago, with the former receiving much snows while the latter remaining dry. )
In Tokyo, there has been no rain for more than one month and the air is very dry. Humidity is only about 30% in my room now. I heard on the news that the moisturisers are selling well in the chemists. I should go and buy one too...
Friday, 21 January 2011
Japan's greenhouse gas emissions in 2009
The Japanese Ministry of the Environment announced the greenhouse gas emissions in 2009 was 4.1% below the 1990 emission level. (1990 is the base year of the emission reduction target under the Kyoto protocol for most countries including Japan.)
The amount of the greenhouse gases emitted during 2009 was 129 million tonnes, a decrease by 5.7% from the previous year. In 2007, Japan' s emission level was 9% above the 1990 level, so there has been a drastic decline since then.
The ministry says that recession was the main cause of the emission declines for two consecutive years.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Japan must reduce its emissions to 6% below the 1990 level in the fiscal 2008-2012 period. While it seems a good sign that the emission level has declined to the level close to the Kyoto target, it is worrying that recession is the main reason. It is expected that the economy is turning to recover this year, which would then increase the greenhouse gas emissions. It is a great challenge for Japan to keep the emission levels low while boosting up its economy.
The amount of the greenhouse gases emitted during 2009 was 129 million tonnes, a decrease by 5.7% from the previous year. In 2007, Japan' s emission level was 9% above the 1990 level, so there has been a drastic decline since then.
The ministry says that recession was the main cause of the emission declines for two consecutive years.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Japan must reduce its emissions to 6% below the 1990 level in the fiscal 2008-2012 period. While it seems a good sign that the emission level has declined to the level close to the Kyoto target, it is worrying that recession is the main reason. It is expected that the economy is turning to recover this year, which would then increase the greenhouse gas emissions. It is a great challenge for Japan to keep the emission levels low while boosting up its economy.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
New Year cuisine
Time flies. The festive season has gone very quickly.
I had a relatively quite new year this year. I visited my parents and my husband's family as usual, went to a sale at a department store, and that's all. I didn't go to any shrines or temples because these places are generally very crowded.
This is a traditional Japanese cuisine called Osechi. In general, Japanese families eat Osechi for a few days in the new year, typically 1-3 January but can be shorter. The idea is that we prepare all the food for the new year on the night before, 31 December, so we don't have to cook during the new year. We put the food into lovely Osechi boxes. Each family has its own style and preference. My mother prepared the Osechi in this photo and it is more or less very similar every year at my home.
I had a relatively quite new year this year. I visited my parents and my husband's family as usual, went to a sale at a department store, and that's all. I didn't go to any shrines or temples because these places are generally very crowded.
This is a traditional Japanese cuisine called Osechi. In general, Japanese families eat Osechi for a few days in the new year, typically 1-3 January but can be shorter. The idea is that we prepare all the food for the new year on the night before, 31 December, so we don't have to cook during the new year. We put the food into lovely Osechi boxes. Each family has its own style and preference. My mother prepared the Osechi in this photo and it is more or less very similar every year at my home.
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