Loneliness - Learning Assertiveness and Compartmentalization 主張しつつ流す

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I want to tell something to English teachers in Japan. Please teach students not only assertiveness, but also compartmentalization because without it, assertion makes them isolated and excluded.

Japanese culture is based on conformity, i.e., we can and should be the same. The Seventeen Article Constitution issued by Prince Shotoku Taishi in 604 provided that conformity was most important. Tsuyoshi Inukai, a pre-war prime minister, also said, "You would agree with me if we talk" before being killed by military officers in 1932. Conformity is so significant in Japan that we have no word for diversity ("daiba-sity" in Japanese). Tolerance has a translation, kanyo, but it means being lenient, accepting people and not blaming/criticizing others for their faults or failures, different from "tolerance," meaning accepting the existence of opinions you dislike or disagree with.  

Because of such an assumption that everyone can or should be the same, if you are different even in one aspect, you don’t belong there and are excluded. You must pretend to be completely the same or are isolated. You can't partly be different. And I believe that this kind of mentality makes it significantly difficult for Japanese people to learn English because there is a conflict of interest, i.e., the more assertive you are, the more isolated and lonely you are.

This is why I believe that English learners in Japan should learn two things at the same time, i.e., how to be assertive and how to compartmentalize their thinking.

Learning how to be assertive gives us opportunities to realize what we are and the importance of discussing differences with others and is meaningful for us, who usually are only taught to parrot what parents, teachers or superiors say. But on the other hand, the more we think and are assertive, the more often we confront others and the more isolated we are. So, consciously or unconsciously, we choose not to assert ourselves to avoid confronting others (i.e., isolation) or lying to ourselves (i.e., self-hatred) to force us to agree with others. But this increases our loneliness and stops our thinking.

Compartmentalization has helped me a lot letting go different views and values without making any judgments. It gives me time to think and a chance to talk about them in a manner more casual and acceptable to those who've never questioned if their views and values are right. It's not ignoring or giving up, but letting them go and asserting myself when the right time comes. It needs a little patience and tolerance, but works for me and I believe it does for others, too. A zen priest said in a TV program that one way of meditation is to picture in our mind that we put our anxiety on a stone and and throw it into a river to let it go. Compartmentalization may be similar to this zen thinking.

For me, learning English is about not only a language and culture, but also growing, i.e., expansion of my boundaries into diverse values and people, and reducing loneliness because although I don't know why, I don't feel lonely while writing posts for this blog. 

英語の先生で「アサーティブネス（assertiveness；自分を主張すること）」の重要性を教える先生は多いですね。でも一つ言いたいことがあります！ 一緒に「コンパートメンタライゼーション（compartmentalization）」も教えてください。だって「和を貴ぶ」国で主張ばっかしてしたら、仲間外れになって孤立するでしょう。

コンパートメンタライゼーションは、賛成できないことについて「心の箱の中に区分けする」ということ。反対も賛成もせず流すという感じかしら。でもこれって簡単なようで結構難しいのです。自分と違う意見（異物）を一旦取り込まなくちゃいけないので、そのための「忍耐」と「寛容（tolerance）」が必要だからです。無視するのとも、あきらめるのとも違います。とりあえず箱のに中にしまい、言うべき時が来たら主張する。禅の精神と似ている気もします。主張しつつも流す術。日本で孤立することなく主張するには役立つと思うのですがいかがでしょう？　

「日本に英語なんていらない、英語なんて話していると浮くだろう」という方。アサーティブネスとコンパートメンタライゼーションを一緒に学べば、英語文化を習得しつつ、孤立や孤独感も軽減できると思います。是非お試しください。

A Pursuit of Sumo "Do" Spirit Through Tolerance and Commitment 貴乃花の「寛容性（tolerance）」と「コミットメント」

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Takanohana, one of the greatest yokozuna sumo wrestlers and a stable master, has retired. He's still 46 years old. His stable was dissolved and all his disciples were all transferred to another stable.

Confrontation between Takanohana and the Japan Sumo Association has been an issue since at least at the end of 2017 when one of his disciples, Takanoiwa, was assaulted by another yokozuna Harumafuji, and the stable master filed a report with police. Takanoiwa and Harumafuji both are Mongolians. A group of Mongolian sumo wrestlers were drinking at a bar and another Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho was also there. Some say that the Association couldn't punish Mongolian wrestlers because they are stronger and more popular than Japanese wrestlers who have lost a "hungry" spirit. Might this be a conflict between Japanese and non-Japanese cultures or a recently more prevalent ideological conflict between "winning is everything" culture and "winning is NOT everything" culture? I don't know. 

Since then, the battle between Takanohana and the Association had intensified until Takanohana accepted his demotion by two levels to the lowest level in the directorship of the Association in March 2018. We don't know what happened after that and what triggered his resignation either, but it's easy to imagine that the distance between the two parties grew to the point where Takanohana had to decide to retire.

As I said, we don't know what happened. Their statements contradict each other, so we can't say which is right and which is wrong. But I can't help but think that this is the end of Takanohana's pursuit "do" spirit, which he must have most treasured.

"Do" literally means a way or path, but is used in the terms of many Japanese cultural activities or sports, e.g., judo (柔道), sado (茶道), sumo do (相撲道), aikido (合気道), kendo (剣道), kyudo (弓道), karate do (空手道), shinto ("to" means "do" for shinto, i.e., 神道), etc. This "do" specifically means a way or path to be a master through every day and lifelong practice. Takanohana often said that yokozuna wrestlers are required to be a man of not only strength, but also integrity, dignity and discipline. This is his description of sumo do.

I can't agree more. Every one of us, not only men but also women, has to be such a person and I respect such people. The thing is not everyone can do what they believe should be done. We should learn English. We have to work. We should eat three meals a day. We should have children. We should marry. We should exercise, etc. But not all of us can or want to do that and that is why we are different and unique and we need to be tolerant.

However, the concept of tolerance is not understood in Japan because here, the idea of "showing willingness to allow the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not agree with" can rarely exist. We only agree or disagree with different opinions or behavior, but not with their existence. For example, my parents are discriminatory against Chinese or Korean people. I know they are and there are many other such people. I allow the existence of such an opinion although I disagree with it, but as long as I see them, they think that I agree with the opinion and the only way to let them know I disagree with it is to stop seeing them. In other words, if I choose not to be excluded from my family, their and my values should agree with in every way. A black or white or all or nothing thinking, isn't it?

Speaking of all or nothing, Takanohana's retirement is based on such thinking. If he can't get what he wants 100%, he just gives up on everything. He had no intention of committing himself to making continuous efforts to change the sumo society slowly but steadily through quiet, but every day and lifelong battles by committing himself to always being there.   

I wanted Takanohana to stay in the sumo circle if he really had wanted to change the sumo culture. He had supporters. Now he’s retired and may be able to change the culture from outside, but that's not by what he has been advocating, "do," i.e., quiet, but every day and lifelong practice to master or achieve something by committing ourselves to making continuous effort.

There is a rumor that he may become a politician. Is he going to change the sumo world from outside? I don't know, but to me, it seems that he gave up a pursuit of sumo do.

貴乃花が相撲部屋を解散した。まだ46歳である。2017年終わりの日馬富士事件以来、相撲協会との関係が悪化していたことは知っていたが、どうしてこのような決断に至ったかは部外者には全く分からず、どちらが悪いかも分からない。

ただ、この引退で、貴乃花は、自ら言うところの「相撲道」、日々の努力を一生積み重ねることにより道を究めることをあきらめてしまったのではなかろうか。貴乃花曰く、横綱はただ強いだけでなく、品格と厳格さも必要と言っていた。大賛成である。ただ、みんながみんなそのようにできないのも現実だ。勉強したほうがいい、働くなくてはいけない、1日3食食べるべき、子供を作るべき、結婚するべき、運動するべきと人は言うが、みんなができるわけもなく、そうしたいわけでもない。だから人はそれぞれ違い、だからこそ「寛容性」が求められる。

ただ「寛容性」、日本では正しく理解されていないように思う。英語の「tolerance」は、「賛成ではない意見や行為の存在を認める姿勢を示すこと」とある。「賛成ではない意見や行為を認めること」とは違うのである。存在は認めるが賛成はしていない。例えば、私の両親は中国人や韓国人を差別する。私自身はそういう人がたくさんいるのは知っているし、そういう意見が存在することも認めているが、意見自体を認めているわけではない。ただ、両親はそのことが分からない。分からせるためには絶交するしかない。なぜなら彼らと会い続ける限り、私の価値観と彼らの価値観は寸分違わず一致しなくてはならないからだ。少しでも価値観が違う人は排除するという考えである。黒白つけたがるというか、オール・オア・ナッシングの世界である。

そして、このオール・オア・ナッシングは貴乃花にも当てはまると思う。自分のやりたいことが100％実現できなければ、全部あきらめるという発想。日々静かに、しかし一生かけて戦って相撲界を変えていくという継続的な努力をし続けるという意志（つまりコミットメント）はなかったようだ。   

本当に相撲界を改革したかったのなら引退しないで残ってほしかった。応援している人もいた。今後、外から改革することはできるかもしれないが、それは彼が言い続けていた「相撲道の精神」とは違う気がする。政界に出て、外から変えるのではという噂もあるが、私には、貴乃花自身が相撲道を究めることをあきらめてしまったように思えてならない。

Nara Cuisine - Narazuke Pickled Gourds 瓢箪の奈良漬

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Narazuke pickles of gourds 瓢箪の奈良漬け

Interpreters Don't Do Shorthand 通訳と速記

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Sachiko used to work as an interpreter. The most troubling thing at that time for her was that her clients thought that she could reproduce what the speaker said based on notes she took during the interpretation. Interpreters take notes, but these aren't shorthand notes, but are for their short memories for thirty seconds or so and include only key points, such as what increases or decreases by how much/many for how long period.

When I asked her to show me what notes she would write, Sachiko jotted down something in a piece of paper on the table and showed it to me. The scribble means, "The number of employees of the manufacturing division in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan has been increasing from 1,000 to 2,500 for the last ten years."

She was often asked by her clients to teach about how to take notes, but couldn't teach it. She’s never read or learned it from others. She still didn't know why and how she ended up writing such notes.

幸子さんが通訳をしていたころ一番困ったこと。それは通訳後に、メモを基に議事録を書いてくれと言われたことだ。速記と違って通訳のメモは要点しか書かないので、30秒間ぐらい記憶する助けにしかならない。どんなメモを取るのか見せてと頼んだら、写真のようなメモを書いてくれた。「神奈川県にある製造部門の従業員数はここ10年で1,000人から2,500人に増えた」という意味だそうだ。

メモの取り方を教えてくれと言われたことまであったらしいが、習ったわけでも本で読んだわけでもなく、気付いたらこんな風に書いていたので教えられないんですって。

Unconscious Bias Against Short Pants 私、差別してました

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

"Salaryman" with short pants

"Men wearing short suit pants are geeks," said my former coworker. She wasn't talking about male models wearing short pants, but ordinary Japanese male employees (salaryman in Japanese) wearing short suit pants like the man in the drawing.

First I found it funny and wrote a post about it. But a friend of mine, to whom I showed this picture before publishing it, told me, "That is your prejudice against men who like short suit pants."

I have taken "inclusive" seminars in which I learned that everyone had an unconscious bias. But I was literally unconscious that I myself had one. It's easy to notice and criticize others' prejudices and biases, whether conscious or not, but this incident made me realize again how difficult it is to look at myself objectively. 

同僚曰く「短いズボンをはく奴は絶対変人」とのこと。大笑いし、このブログのために記事まで書いた。ところかアップする前に友人に話したら「それって短いズボンを好きな人に対する偏見じゃない？」と言われてしまった。その通りです｡｡｡

会社でインクルーシブ研修を受け、無意識の偏見については知っていたはずなのにこのざま。人のことを批判するのは簡単だけど、自分を客観的に見ることの難しさを改めて痛感しました｡｡｡

Loneliness - Look Inside Myself Through Coloring 内面を見つめる

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I drew them and don't know why, but remember feeling relaxed and peaceful while drawing them. A friend of mine said that that was because I was looking inside myself. I don't know if it is true.

I have drawn more than ten pictures of this kind. Some were finished, i.e., every small square or oblong was colored, and others not.

Color is most important. When cheerful or extrovert, I choose warm colors while, when sad or introvert, cool colors. The second picture shows changes in my mood from the top left (i.e., pink) to the center and bottom (i.e., green and blue).


The second one isn't finished yet and may not be finished forever. I stopped describing my feelings in the form of drawing or color because I now write.

こんな絵を描いているとなんか落ち着きました。内面を見ているからだと言われたこともあります。なぜ描いていたかは自分でもわかりません。とにかく気持ちが安らぎました。

元気なときは暖色、落ち込んでいるときは寒色。下の絵を見ると最初左上の方を描いているときは元気なのに、段々沈んでいっているのが分かります。

最近は絵ではなく、文章で気持ちを表現するようになりました。

Like Father/Mother, Like Daughter? 無責任な両親、そして私

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I've been reading "Seven Mysteries about Monsters of the Showa Era" by Masayasu Hosaka. It's about seven mysteries related to six politicians and military officers who played crucial roles during and/or after the war, e.g., Hideki Tojo and Shigeru Yoshida. While reading the characteristics of military officers mentioned by the author, I was stunned by one of them. That "they (i.e., military officers) never tell what they really think, but always talk about others' opinions" is my parents' most distinctive characteristic.

Heisei Era will End 通訳の年号変換

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

As you may know, the Heisei Era will end on April 30 next year. For those who aren't familiar with the Japanese era system, we, the Japanese, have a specific name for a period during which an emperor reigns and so, when a new emperor accedes to the throne, the name of the period also changes. As the current 125th Emperor Akihito will abdicate on April 30 next year, the Heisei Era, reigned by him, will also end on that day. The names of the recent eras and their periods are as follows: 

Heisei era:  January 8, 1989 to April 30, 2019, reigned by Akihito
Showa era: December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989, reigned by Hirohito
Taisho era: July 30, 1912 to December 24, 1926, reigned by Yoshihito
Meiji era: January 25, 1868 to July 29, 1912, reigned by Mutsuhito

Emperors don't have last names and we don't know why for sure. But it's said that as last names used to be given by the emperor of the period, they have had nobody giving one to them or that as male succession has continued in an unbroken line for 125 generations from the first reign, they haven't needed to have last names to differentiate themselves from others. 

I'm not interested in the reason for their not having last names, but in an issue for interpreters, i.e., they have to translate the Japanese year to the Gregorian calendar year in a second while interpreting! This happens because most Japanese use the Japanese calendar year, so when a speaker says "Heisei 30 (i.e., 2018)," the interpreter has to immediately translates the year to the Gregorian year by subtracting 12 (i.e., 30-12=18, meaning 2018). In other words, interpreters have to memorize how many years they need to add or subtract for each era, i.e., for Heisei add 88 or subtract 12, Showa add 25, Taisho add 11 and Meiji add 67 or subtract 33, and do such additions/subtractions while interpreting.

Whatever the name of the new era will be, interpreters/translators will have to remember one more formula, i.e., adding 18 to the Japanese year to convert it to the Gregorian year! 

来年元号が変わる。新元号のシステム対応が大変なことは知られているが、密かに大変なのは通訳の頭の中である。言語変換のみならず、元号を瞬時に西暦に変換するための足し引きをやっているのをご存じだろうか。つまり、平成は12引く、昭和は25足す｡｡｡といった具合。言葉だけでも大変なのに、算数もやるから大変なんです。メートルとフィート、セルシウスとファーレンハイトも同じで、6フィートと言われても大きいかどうかぴんとこないし、華氏100度と言われても暑いかどうかぴんとこないが、こちらは変換せずにそのまま言ってもまあ大丈夫。でも、元号だけはそうはいかないのです。新元号の場合は「18足したら西暦」。お疲れ様です！

Loneliness - Ohitorisama at a Nearby Cafe カフェのおひとり様

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It was a holiday, so I went to a famous cafe restaurant in my neighborhood, Toyosu Tokyo. I often go to Piatto, an also nearby good Italian restaurant, when I take a day off, but that day I wanted to try a new place.

Why You Make It So Complicated なんでそうなるの？

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

People think when they have nothing else to do but sit and I'm not an exception. I found this sign in a ladies' room at Yaesu of the Tokyo Station. (Click here for a post about another sign on how to "flash" a toilet.)

Why did they put so much information in it? The three things the building manager wants to say are:
1. Sit on the toilet. Don't squat over the bowl.
2. Flush toilet paper down the toilet. Don't put it in the bin. 
3. Hold your hand over the sensor to activate the flush.

The shorter and the simpler, the better. This particularly holds true if it's read by non-native speakers, like me. And one more thing. What the hell happened to these three pictures, especially, the middle one? Without reading the instruction, I had no idea about what the middle drawing was trying to say...

東京駅八重地下の女子トイレで見つけました。英語、長すぎませんか。英語圏以外の人に伝えるのが目的なら、短く簡潔に書くべきではないでしょうか。（過去の記事「トイレを光らせろ」についてはこちら。）

それとこの絵｡｡。特に真ん中！「トイレットペーパーは流せ」ってことだけ描けばよかったのでは。絵で余計わかりにくくなっている気がしました。

Hide and Seek in Tokyo 東京のひょっこりはん

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Baby lizard in Tokyo

Can you find it? I saw this baby lizard in Tokyo. I wrote about baby lizards I had seen in Nara prefecture last month, but didn't expect to see one again in Tokyo.

I wanted to take a better picture of it, but it must have been looking for a place to hide from still strong sunshine. A few seconds after taking this photo, it was gone into the bush....

I've been intrigued by lizards, reptiles, amphibians and dinosaurs since my childhood, though I can't or haven't touched them...

どこにいるか分かりますか。東京で会いました。奈良でも見かけてブログに書きましたが、まさか東京でも会えるとは思っていなかった赤ちゃんトカゲです！もう少しいい写真を撮りたかったのですが、すぐに藪の中に消えてしまいました。残暑厳しいものね。触ったことはありませんが、子供の頃からなぜか、トカゲ、カエル、恐竜が好きです。