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A great place for camping in Tokyo

2022-03-27 by Taka

Hi! It’s been a while.
Sorry for not updating anything on this blog for such a long time!!

Since the Corona outbreak, the economic conditions in the local cities got bad and I had to change my lifestyle.
Currently, I mostly work in Tokyo but sometimes go back to Takayama − Going back and forth!

There has been a lot of bad news these days like Corona, war, such and such …, and I feel really depressed. When I feel down, I put my cell phone away in my bag (to stay away from media), and I try to find some time to spend in nature.
The other day, I camped with my friend in Okutama at the Hikawa Campsite. It is a very famous camping site (especially for beginners).
I really like this place because it is very conveniently located, and you can enjoy campfires and tent stays. If you live in Tokyo and haven’t been there yet, I recommend that you go!

Hikawa Campsite

Access(about 2 hours from Shinjuku Station)

Take the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station to Tachikawa Station.
From Tachikawa Station, take the JR Ome Line to Okutama Station.
Hikawa Campground is a 5-minute walk from Okutama Station.
Advance reservation is required for use. Please check the availability on the official website and make a reservation. https://www.okutamas.co.jp/hikawa/

Charge

Camping only 1,000 yen per person per night
Tent stay: 1,500 yen per person per night
Accommodation (lodge) use from 5,000 yen per night per building

There is a hot spring facility called “Moegi no Yu” about 10-minute walk from the campsite, and the “Hikawa International Trout Fishing area” nearby. Great place for fishing, and you can also barbecue on the riverside.

There is also a convenience store and a store selling meat and vegetables near the station, so you can go to the campsite without preparing much.

Be careful of the temperature difference between daytime and nighttime. It was the middle of March when I used it, and it got so cold at night that I hardly slept at night … Me and my friend had to spend the whole day staying close to a fire until morning lol

I really think that it is important to put yourself in nature once in a while.

By the way, Family Planet Japan (a group in Takayama city)’s google site is open now. https://sites.google.com/familyplanetjapan.jp/family-planet-japan-official/

If you are in Takayama (or somehwere in Japan), please sign up for our official LINE account, “Our Planet.” You will be able to get information on our upcoming events, listen to special radio programs, and more.

You can also contact us via Line if you need any help with your life in Japan (or even by commenting on this post). We will do our best to support you.

See you soon!
Taka


こんにちは。コロナ禍に入ってから、長い間全然ブログ更新していませんでしたが久しぶりの投稿です!

コロナの影響で地方都市の経済状態が非常に悪くなったため、現在、僕は東京と高山を行き来する生活をしています。最近は戦争も起きていて本当に良いニュースがなくて気持ちも落ち込みますね、、

気分が晴れない時は、携帯電話をバッグにしまって、自然があるところに行ったりして過ごすようにしています。東京でも最近キャンプが流行っていたりして、先日は奥多摩の方に友人と氷川キャンプ場で宿泊をしてきました。超有名どころで、キャンプも初心者向けですが、焚き火やテント泊も十分楽しめておすすめです。都心に住んでいて、まだ行ったことがない人は是非行ってみてください!

氷川キャンプ場

アクセス(新宿駅から2時間くらい)
新宿駅からJR中央線で立川駅へ
立川駅からJR青梅線で奥多摩駅へ
氷川キャンプ場へは奥多摩駅から徒歩5分です。

利用には事前の予約が必要です。
公式サイトで空き状況を確認して予約をしましょう。

https://www.okutamas.co.jp/hikawa/

料金
キャンプのみ 1名1泊 1,000円
テント宿泊 1名1泊1,500円
宿泊施設利用 1棟1泊 5,000円から

キャンプ場から徒歩10分ほどの場所にもえぎの湯という温泉施設もあり、少し離れたところには氷川国際ます釣場もあり、河原で気軽にバーベキューもできるので至れり尽くせりの都会のキャンプ場という感じです。

また、駅の近くにはコンビニやお肉や野菜を売っている売店などもあるので、キャンプ場まで手ぶらで行ってOK。ただやはり山の中なので、日中と夜の寒暖差に気をつけてください!僕が利用したときは3月半ばで、夜中はめちゃくちゃ寒くなってほとんど寝ずに焚き火を朝までして過ごしました笑

たまには自然に身を置くことが本当に大切ですね。

ところで、僕が代表を務めている高山市の市民団体、Family Planet Japanの公式サイトが出来ました。https://sites.google.com/familyplanetjapan.jp/family-planet-japan-official/

外国人移住者と地域住民とのつながりと交友関係を深めるべく様々な活動をしていますので、良ければぜひご覧ください。公式Lineアカウント、Our Planet に登録していただくと今後のイベント情報や特別ラジオ番組の視聴などができるようになります。また、外国人移住者の方は生活面で困った際、Lineアカウントへメッセージを送っていただければできる限りサポートいたしますので、お気軽にご利用ください。

それではまた!
Taka


※ Please note that the translation is not exact!
ブログの対訳は気分で書いてるので、厳密な訳文ではありません笑 あしからず

Today’s words and phrases

go back and forth 行ったり来たりする(いったりきたりする)
economic conditions 経済状況(けいざいじょうきょう)
the other day 先日(せんじつ)
once in a while 時々(ときどき)
upcoming 今後の(こんごの)

Filed Under: Culture, Family Planet Japan, Learn Japanese, Places in Tokyo, 英語学習 Tagged With: camp in tokyo, family planet japan, hikawa campsite, learn japanese, life in japan, nature in tokyo, takayama city, 日本語学習, 氷川キャンプ場, 英語学習

日本/高山市における多文化共生の現状と今後 (2021年度版)

2021-02-23 by Taka

国を超えて移住することが頻繁に

通信や交通手段が発達し、働き方も多様化してきた現在では、日本のみならず世界的に「他国への移住」がかつてないほど頻繁に行われています。現在、世界では70 億人の世界の人口のうち10 億人、つまり人口の7分の1は海外からの移住者と言われており、流動性が非常に高い現代社会に私たちは生活しています。移住者の受け入れに関しては文化や価値観の違いなど様々な問題もありますが、人の移動を上手く管理することができれば、よく移住に関して話される「頭脳/労働力の流出入」ということではなく、頭脳/労働力のシェアや循環としてより持続可能な社会を築きあげる事ができるでしょう。もちろん国により移住受け入れの状況は違いますが、ここ日本でもコロナショックが起きた2020年までは毎年外国人移住者が急速に増えてきています。

外国人労働者 人数、国籍、仕事について

・日本在住の外国人市民人数に関して

2020年1月1日時点で、日本に住む外国人人口は287万人で過去最高を記録しました。これは市町村別人口ランキング2位の大阪市(273万人)を超える数です。前年比増加数は20万人、増加率は7.48%、日本の総人口に占める割合は2.3%で過去最高を記録しました。

外国人人口が集中しているのは主に大都市圏で、都道府県別に見ると東京都が58万人と日本全体の外国人の20%を占めています。しかし、2019年頃から東京の外国人人口増加数は減ってきており、今まで外国人人口が少なかった地方地域の増加率が増えてきています。地方で外国人人口が多い県は、製造業が盛んな静岡県と、群馬県で、増加率ランキングでは宮崎県(+19.4%)、沖縄県(+17.4%)、鹿児島県(+16.3%)等です。

・在留外国人国別(2019年時点)

2019年時点で日本に住んでいる外国人労働者(国別)の上位5国は下記の通りです。

・在留資格(2019(令和元年)年12月末時点)

在留の資格人数構成比上位3カ国・地域
一般永住者
(結婚/家族として日本に移住など)
793,16427.0中国 33%-フィリピン 16%-ブラジル 14%
留学345,79111.8中国 39%-ベトナム 24%-ネパール 8%
特別永住者
(戦前日本に住み、その後留まることになった外国人など)
312,50110.7韓国 89%-朝鮮 9%-台湾 0.3%
技能実習410,97214.0ベトナム 50%-中国 23%-フィリピン 9%

・岐阜県と高山市の外国人移住者数の推移

岐阜県の統計データによると、2020年6月末時点で県全体には約59,000人の外国人が住んでおり、高山市では892人と、どちらも増加傾向にあります。高山市の移住者の国別上位3国は①ベトナム266人②中国185人③韓国110人で、特にベトナムからの移住者の増加が顕著です。

また、厚生労働省が発表したデータによると、2019年10月時点の岐阜県の外国人労働者数は35,396 人で6年連続で過去最高人数を更新しており、外国人を雇用している事業所の数も増加傾向にあります。ハローワーク高山によると、外国人を雇用している事業所は181、外国人労働者は662人となっています。高山市に住む外国人労働者のうち30%は「専門的・技術的分野の 在留資格」を持っており、県内ではトップの割合です。職業に関しては、県全体で見ると製造/建設業に従事している外国人労働者が多いですが、観光業が盛んな高山市では30%が「宿泊業、飲食サービス業」関係の職についています。

外国人移住者受け入れ体制の変化

日本では特にバブル期の80年代から90年代初頭までの間に、外国人の出稼ぎ労働者を多くの企業が受け入れて、外国人移住者が急増した時期がありましたが、その頃は外国人移住者の受け入れに対する法律や労働基準などが定まっておらず、違法な労働を強いる企業や違法滞在をする外国人が多くいました。しかし、近年は外国人の労働基準や人権保護、在留カードなどの移住者情報が整備されて、外国人移住者を単純な「人材」としてでなく、より「生活者」として地域と共生していく大切さが重要視されるようになってきています。そのような世の中の変化があり、外国人市民による犯罪件数も2005年から2019年までの間で7割も減ってきています。外国人市民の増加=犯罪率の増加と考えている日本人も多いですが、実際は日本は外国人を受け入れる体制を整え始めた事で、犯罪率は大きく改善されてきています。(警察庁調査)

また、最近の日本政府の対応で、コロナにより技能実習生に対して特別措置として「転職」を認め、「特定活動」の在留資格を最大1年間与えることが決まりました。これまで技能実習制度で働いている外国人市民は転職が出来なかった為に職を制限されて批判されていましたが、外国人労働者に頼っている企業も増えており、待遇が見直されてきています。

外国人市民/労働者増加のメリット

1.少子高齢化対策

現在の日本の平均寿命46才で世界的にも超高齢化社会に入ってきています。日本は2020年時点で65歳以上の高齢者率は約29%。世界で最も高齢化が進んでいる国です。加えて少子化が続いており、2008年の1億2,808万人をピークに人口は減少し続けています。2020年時点で1年間で50万人減少しており、高齢者を支える労働力がなくなってきています。

高山市の人口は2000年の97,023人をピークに減少を続けて来ており、2015年時点の89,182人と比較すると8.1%の大幅な減少となっています。その内高齢者は増加傾向にあり、2015年時点ですでに3割以上の高齢化率で、全国平均より約4%高い水準です。人口減少と高齢化による労働力の低下で事業の持続が困難になる事が懸念されており、少子高齢化対策の一つとして外国人労働者の受け入れを進めていくことがより求められてくる事と思われます。高山市の人口は2040年には1万8千人減少し、67,419人になる予測です。現在の人口増減の動向は、①若者が進学、就職などにより市外へ転出し、その後戻ってくる者が少ないことによる「社会減」、②出生数が死亡数を下回る「自然減」の2つがあります。今後の目標として、生産年齢人口における社会増減(転入数と転出数の差)を段階的に改善し、市は2045年までに、将来推計に対して年間300人の増となることを目指しています。

2.地方創生

少子高齢化や大都市部への人口集中のため、現在全国1700の日本の自治体のうち約900に消滅の可能性があります。地方で外国人労働者の受け入れを進める事で、地方都市での人材不足を解消し、地域に活気を取り戻すことや、事業や文化の継承者を増やし日本のビジネスや文化芸術を世界に広める事につながります。

3.新しい文化の創造 より世界に開かれた国に

さまざまな国から違った視点やビジネスのあり方、生活方法などを取り入れて地域住民間で共有する事により新しい文化が生まれると共に、より国際的な繋がりを強めて発展することができるでしょう。

今後の動向

コロナウィルスの影響が長引き、外国人人口の減少が続けば、留学生や技能実習生など外国人労働者への依存度が高い企業は大きな影響を受け、外国人労働者の増加によって何とか維持されてきた分野の人材不足が深刻さを増すことが考えられます。

2012年初頭の現在、コロナで海外との関係が薄れてしまってはいますが、少子高齢化問題の解決の大きな一手として外国人労働者の受け入れ政策を進める体制は変わりません。逆に流入が停止している今の時期をチャンスと捉え、受け入れ体制をさらに整えておく必要があります(特に近年外国人労働者が増加するであろう地方都市において)。

例えば外国人が来やすい環境作りとして、外国人向けの日本語教育(やさしい日本語など)に力を入れたり、市役所案内の多言語化や外国人移住者による市内情報発信や生活支援(相談、支援、防災)などを整える事による共生の為の環境作りや、受け入れる日本人地域住民や企業関係の方々に向けた異文化理解や多文化共生の重要性を学ぶ機会を作り、相互理解を深められる政策を進めていくことが大切です。移住後に大きなカルチャーショックや地域住民とのトラブルにならないように、移住者に対して出発前と到着後の文化オリエンテーションと語学研修ができる環境作りもより必要になってきます。外国人市民とコミュニケーションを取る機会を作ることで、外国人市民を「見える化」し、同じ市民として認めていくことが大切です。

日本にとっては中長期的に滞在してくれる高度な人材を確保しておきたいところなので、日本の文化に「同化」することを強いるのではなく、相互理解による「統合」へ移行することで協力体制を整えていくことが必要となってきています。日本にとって多文化共生は持続可能な社会の構成に必要な要素となってきているので、今後ともさらに外国人の受け入れのあり方を検討していく必要があります。また、外国人と地域住民との交流や相互理解を通し、日本に移住してきた外国人の方が架け橋となって、日本の文化を学び、自国の文化を共有し、さらにその友達や家族へ繋がって広がっていくと大きな発展へと繋がっていく事と思われます。

参考資料:

総務省「住民基本台帳に基づく人口、人口動態及び世帯数」2020年8月5日発表
https://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_news/s-news/01gyosei02_02000220.html

Nippon.com 日本人人口、初の50万人超の減少 : 外国人比率2.25%に上昇
https://www.nippon.com/ja/japan-data/h00791/

財務省  参考資料・日本の少子高齢化はどのように進んでいるのか
https://www.mof.go.jp/zaisei/reference/index.html

e-Stat 在留外国人統計(旧登録外国人統計)
https://www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?page=1&layout=datalist&toukei=00250012&tstat=000001018034&cycle=1&year=20190&month=24101212&tclass1=000001060399&tclass2val=0

高山市 高山市人口ビジョン
https://www.city.takayama.lg.jp/shisei/1005745/1012576.html

厚生労働省 「外国人雇用状況」の届出状況について(令和元年 10 月末現在)
https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/gifu-roudoukyoku/content/contents/000598317.pdf

Family Planet Japan  令和3年度2月19日

※私たちの活動に関してより詳しい情報は:
https://hidanotaka.com/family-planet-japan/

Filed Under: Family Planet Japan Tagged With: family planet japan, SDGs, takayama city, ファミプラ, ファミリープラネットジャパン, 人口減少, 地方創生, 多文化共生, 多様性, 少子高齢化, 岐阜県, 教育, 異文化理解, 社会問題, 高山市

Online interview with Fuchi-san in Uganda

2021-02-14 by Taka

Hi, this time I interviewed Fuchi-san, who moved from Japan to Uganda and talked about the life there and the importance of understanding different cultures.

【Questions/Topics】
ウガンダに移住して何年? 1:20
How long is it since you moved to Uganda?

移住したきっかけは? 1:57
What made you decide to move there? 

出身地は? 3:25
Where are you originally from?

日本で感じた違和感 4:05
Was it comfortable living there?

海外移住後の苦労 6:52
Was it hard at first?

現地での生活はどう? 9:54
How is it to live there?

異文化に対する理解はある?13:55
About living with people from different cultures

日々の生活での苦労 15:32
Any difficulties living there?

ウガンダの良いところ 16:21
Good things about living in Uganda

様々な文化を学ぶ大切さ 20:51
The importance of knowing different cultures

日本から海外移住したい方へ 23:38
To Japanese who want to live abroad 

自分らしい人生を送るために 26:43
To live the life you want 

After the interview 28:25

Family Planet Japan は多文化共生/多様性ある社会の実現に向けて、
岐阜県高山市を中心に活動している団体です。

Family Planet Japan is an organization based in Takayama city in Gifu prefecture. We are working towards constructing harmonization of multicultural/diverse society in Japan.

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/familyplanetjapan


【Interview with Fuchi-san】

Hi, everyone! This time, I interviewed Fuchi-san, who moved from Japan to Uganda in Africa.

We talked about moving abroad and the importance of learning about different cultures.

Uganda is a country with a variety of ethnic groups and is full of beautiful nature.

With 97% of the population under the age of 65, there are a lot of young workers.

In recent years, various companies from abroad have moved into the country, and the GDP growth rate is over 6%, and the country is developing rapidly

Today, I would like to interview Fuchi-san, who moved from Japan to Africa. 

Hi!

You and I actually went to high school together.

I never thought we would meet again in this way.

Yeah!

So, you are in Africa now! I would like to ask you some questions about how you got to Africa and how you are living there.You are in Uganda, and how long have you been there?

It’s been eight years.

That’s quite a long time!

Did you go to any other countries before you went to Uganda?

I only went to Vietnam and Taiwan for a short trip abroad.

I’ve been to the U.S., and I think many people from Japan often go to Europe,  the U.S, Australia or Canada, but what made you decide to go to Uganda?

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t planning to come here at all. My priority was to leave Japan and live abroad, so it didn’t matter where I went. It didn’t matter where, as long as it wasn’t Japan. If I had the chance, it could have been England, the United States, or even Vietnam, but I had the opportunity to go to Uganda.

What was that opportunity?

When I was in my fourth year of university, I was looking for a job, and there was an opening at an NGO. And I found out that they had an overseas branch and there was a possibility that I would be stationed overseas. So I decided to go to Uganda, even though I didn’t know where it was.

That was a big change.

Yeah I guess it was!

Did you always have this idea of wanting to live abroad? Did you just want to leave Japan?

I don’t really remember now, but I was interested in English, so I wanted to work overseas using English in my work. 

Where in Japan are you originally from, by the way?

I’m from Higashi Kurume, Tokyo, which is closer to Saitama. No one really knows the area lol

Oh well, I think there are some people who know the area!

It’s not like Shibuya or Setagaya, it’s a more rural part of Tokyo. 

It’s a place that is not like the big city, Tokyo.

That’s right! haha

While living there, did you feel that you didn’t like Tokyo or Japan? Did you feel like you wanted to go abroad?

It was not a bad environment to live in. I think I got along well with my family, and it wasn’t like I had any problems with them. I didn’t have a difficult childhood, but I think my discomfort with life in Japan started to grow when I was a university student.

What did you feel uncomfortable about?

For example, when I was looking for a job during my university years. The university I went to was a very large university with a lot of students, but in my third year of university, everyone wore the same black suit to attend job interviews as if they were robots, and all the girls wore their hair in the same knot, like it had to be tied this way. If you had long bangs, you had to part them like this. The people who had been involved in various activities to emphasize the importance of individuality until they reached that age were reading the same books wearing the same clothes for employment. It made me feel uncomfortable, and I knew I couldn’t do that like others. And I thought, I can’t live like that. And be with others who just follow the suit.

Ahh I see. I think that most people who go abroad from Japan have a strong sense of discomfort about such things. I was the same way. I went to Florida for college. In Japan, everyone has a set life-course, like what university to graduate from by what age, where to get a job, how old to get married, when to rent an apartment, and how many years to pay the mortgage and so on. I went abroad because I had doubts about whether I could really live that way, so I can completely understand what you mean.

How did you feel after you moved to Uganda? I think it must have been quite difficult to get used to the culture, the different language, and the different food.

It was tough at times. The first year or two were really tough.

What was the hardest part?

When I felt like I was going through a tough time, I didn’t have any family nearby or friends I could talk to about anything. It would have been better if I could have talked on the videophone, but with the time difference and the fact that I didn’t have any friends nearby to talk to whenever I wanted to, I was alone and lonely. It was quite difficult.

It’s hard to find someone to talk to when you have a problem, isn’t it? How did you get over that?

I don’t know if I overcame it. lol It’s still hard sometimes. There are times when I feel like I’m having a hard time and there’s no one around me, I’m alone. There are many people who feel lonely even in Japan, and I think the difficulty is not so different.

In my case, I wanted to get out of Japan first, and I didn’t have a strong yearning for Uganda or a strong desire to do something for this place at first. So I didn’t get a huge shock by wanting to do what I want and not being able to do it because of the culture differences. Like saying “This is not the life I wanted living abroad!” I think it is hard for people when their expectations are betrayed. I did not have excessive expectations, so it was not a big setback.

I think that might be one of the most important things in order to live well in a foreign country. We often interview foreign migrants who are living in Japan, and they all have culture shock when they first start living in Japan, and they say that if you expect too much from life in Japan, the gap between the reality and your expectations will widen, and the shock will get bigger and harder to bear, so the key to living well in Japan or in a different country is not to expect too much. I think this is really important. 

We tend to imagine the ideal life in a different place and expect too much, so.

How do you like the food and lifestyle in Uganda?

I do miss Japanese food, but I get used to it here. I’m not a person who has always been very picky. There is no such thing as a food that I don’t like or won’t eat, so I am able to enjoy my time here.

If you are a person who is very picky, it may be difficult to change your environment. You have to be flexible to fit in. That may be another important thing to enjoy living abroad.

I’ve never been to Uganda, but can you tell me briefly what it’s like? What are the people like in the city?

There are many different kinds of people here. Some live in high-class apartments with 10 or more floors and drive BMWs or Mercedes-Benzes, and shop at expensive supermarkets and eat fancy food. If you move around a little bit, you will find other people who live barefoot in a small room on the ground floor made of clay bricks, have five children and cousins living there, and have several children who cannot go to school due to lack of school fees.

Is there a big gap between the rich and the poor compared to Japan?

I think so.

After living in Uganda for 8 years, do you feel that the gap between the rich and the poor is getting better? Or has it not changed much? 

I don’t think it has changed much. If anything, it may be widening.

What kind of foods do you eat there?

People eat rice, a lot of potatoes ,and sweet potatoes. Also a kind of banana called Matoke. It’s a white banana that you can’t peel without a knife. It turns yellow when you boil it.

That’s interesting and sounds healthy.

Food here is high in fiber.

What kind of annual events and cultural activities do you have?

Do you have events like festivals?

Compared to Japan, we don’t have a lot of national events. The reason for this is that there are many religions and people with different backgrounds. But about 80% of the people are Christian, so Christmas and Easter are the major events I guess. For Muslims, the Muslim holidays is a big event.

How is the relationship with foreign immigrants in Uganda?

I think it is very open and welcoming. Many of our neighboring countries are economically/politically unstable, so we accept a lot of refugees from there. Even in daily life, I meet African people who I feel are not Ugandans, and there are many foreigners like me. There are also a lot of second and third generation foreigners who have immigrated to Uganda.

There is a lot of diversity!

Yes. That’s why I feel comfortable here and have been here for eight years.

Is there any discrimination or prejudice?

Yeah we do have. There is discrimination against us, foreigners, and even between tribes. Well, I guess it happens everywhere to some extent.

But it sounds comfortable to have such a diverse group of people living in a place together. I like that kind of environment

Yeah, I think it’s a very diverse place compared to other places.

What are some of the challenges you face in Uganda?

Medical care and such is very difficult. If you get sick or something, you might not be able to get proper medical care. The standard of medical care is low to begin with, so no matter how good a hospital is, there are limits in what they can do. In case of serious illness, people who have money get medical visas and go to overseas hospitals for treatment. They go to India, Thailand, or the United States.

On the other hand, what are good things about Uganda?

It is a good environment for raising children.

You mean, neighbors help each other and they are supportive? 

People help each other very naturally. For example, when I take a cab, people around me help my child get into the cab, and when I take my child to a restaurant, the worker there takes care of him/her.

That’s nice.

What I also like is that people do not judged by my age, gender, nationality, or education. I am married to a Ugandan man and we have a half Ugandan child. He looks different, but there are many such children and they are living with no problems. Also, there are lots of female principals, and no one cares about your college education. In the first place, people here don’t know about all the prominent universities. The students who attend the college also vary in age and have different backgrounds. Like, my husband is married with children, but he is attending college, and there are many such people, and many older people taking courses as well. There are children who have stayed in elementary school and are of different ages in the same school. This kind of diverse environment is easy for me to live in.

That’s nice. In Japan, there are stereotypes about what a job should be like, how women should not be able to enter the workforce, who should do what job, how we should value our relationships with people because they are from famous universities, and so on.

It seems that in Uganda, people look at humanity rather than just checking status. 

Yes. There are also families with adopted children, and many people who are albinos, who look completely different from other Africans. I think it is wonderful to have the opportunity to live with such a variety of people. It makes me feel better that I can live my life without worrying about the people around me just because I am a foreigner.

It’s a place where you can live your own life without being judged by others around you or by your social position.

I think so.

I’d like to visit there someday!

You should! Being in contact with people of different races and with different opinions is something that Japan needs now, and I want everyone to have that kind of experience.

Japan is an island nation, and when you are in it, you tend to think that what you see is all in the world. 

Particularly for a country like Africa, which is so far away from Japan, I think people tend to have a fixed image. For example, there are many poor children in Africa, and if you were to go to Africa from Japan, you would do something to help them. But here in Africa, people are living their own lives. So you don’t have to think, “It’s a poor place, so I must go there and do something for them”and bother.

If you want to go abroad, you should go there because you want to!

Yes, I think that’s important. From the Japanese point of view, we don’t want such people coming to our country, do we? We can’t welcome people who come to Japan saying things like, “I feel sorry for Japanese people, so I have to go there to help them!”. I think it’s great if they come to Japan to enjoy the country and culture, but if they come to Japan just to do something that they think is right, that’s arrogant in a way and it will be a nuisance.

Of course there are some people who are really dedicating themselves to make some great improvement, but you can take it easy like I did.

You can move to a place you like and live there first, interact with the local people, and then you may find something to improve the place. It would be a misunderstanding if you start out by saying, “I’m here to make improvements!!” without knowing people living there, wouldn’t it?

That’s right. If you are too ambitious before you move to a new place, you may end up destroying your ideals after you actually move there, thinking, “I can do more, I wasn’t supposed to be like this,” and you won’t be able to enjoy your life there. It is important to see more of the daily life of the people there by living together.

Do you have any advice for people who want to move from Japan to overseas or want to get married with people abroad?

I think they should study hard. Even if you are not looking for a job, but just want to get married and live abroad, you will not be able to fully enjoy your stay unless you can speak the language of the country. If you can speak the language, the people around you will accept you. You may not know where you will live in the future, but I think it is important to read books and study hard. But that doesn’t mean that you should go to college, attend classes diligently, or go to cram schools. It’s about having an attitude of questioning and pursuing what’s going on around you, and that’s studying in a broad sense. If you like music, it’s fine to study music, if you like cooking, it’s fine to study cooking, but don’t quit trying to learn more about something you have questions about or are really interested in.

I often have the opportunity to meet young university students who come to Uganda to volunteer, and there are many who say, “Studying is useless,” or “We don’t need to study for actual communication,” or “In the end, as long as you have feelings and enthusiasm, you will be fine”. But having more knowledge is important. Not only learning language but also history. Africa is a country with the painful history where many people were enslaved and many were killed in the past. 

You may just enjoy your stay without knowing the history. 

But you should learn the history of the area if you are staying/living 

abroad for a while.

So it is important to learn the history of the country, learn the language, and gain in-depth knowledge of what you are interested in.

Yes. Even in Japan, I would be happy if people who come to Japan know a lot about Japan.

There are times when I feel embarrassed when foreigners know things about Japan that even most Japanese people don’t know. 

So I think it is important to try to gain knowledge no matter where you are/will be. 

And even if you find it hard to live in the place where you are now, or you don’t like your current life, if you go abroad, it might be normal, and the pain you have been suffering might disappear. If you take a step out into the world, life may become easier, so don’t be too depressed if you are struggling in the place where you are now. The cause of your problems may be your family environment, your appearance, or your life, but if you find it hard to live, I think studying hard and going abroad is one way to lead your life as you want. 

I think it’s important to remember that the world you see now is not all there is and to make efforts for a better life.

Thank you very much for letting me interview you for so long!

・After the interview 

This time, I interviewed Fuchi-san, who moved to Uganda from Japan. I was very happy to know that my classmate from high school is doing well in a different country. We usually interview foreign migrants who have moved to Japan, but this time I interviewed someone who has moved from Japan to overseas. I realized that the key to successfully living in another country is to blend in with the culture of the place without preconceived notions and not to expect too much. If you live in Japan(or in your country) and feel like what you see is the whole world and it’s hard to live here, I think it’s important to know that there are other worlds and broaden your horizons. It’s hard to move around because of Coronavirus now, but I think the number of foreign migrants coming to Japan will increase, and I guess there will be more opportunities for people to move from Japan to other countries to find the life they want.

We will continue to interview various people and work towards understanding and sharing the importance of living people with different backgrounds. Please subscribe to our Youtube channel and Like us, and check out our Facebook page as well. Thank you for watching. See you next time!


See you next time,
Taka

Filed Under: Family Planet Japan, International relations Tagged With: Africa, family planet japan, live abroad, online interview, Uganda, アフリカ, ウガンダ, ファミリープラネットジャパン, 国際理解, 国際結婚, 国際関係, 多文化共生, 多様性, 海外移住, 異文化理解

Japan and Brunei: Good Diplomatic Relations Focusing on Energy Resources

2021-02-05 by Taka

Brunei is a Muslim country located in the northern part of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The capital is Bandar Sri Bhagavan, and the Istana Nurul Iman Palace in the capital is the residence of the current king (The palace is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the largest palaces in the world, with 1,788 rooms and 257 bathrooms). The name of the country, Brunei Darussalam, means “Eternally peaceful Brunei”.

The population is about 430,000, and the land area is 5,765 square meters, which is about the same size as Mie Prefecture in Japan, but thanks to the abundant oil and natural gas, the per capita income level is high, and social welfare is excellent. Although the constitution stipulates that the official language is Malay, English is also spoken, and Chinese is also used to some extent.

As for the governance and politics of the country, the Sultan, a Muslim monarch, has been in power since the country achieved independence from Britain in 1984. The Sultan is also the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Finance, and the head of Islam in Brunei, and can exert executive power unconstrained by politicians, parliament, or the judiciary. In this article, let’s learn about the relationship between Brunei and Japan.

Diplomatic Relations with Japan

During World War II, the British forces that controlled Brunei were eliminated by the Japanese, and the country was ruled by Japan from 1942 until the end of the war in 1945. After the war, Brunei returned to British rule, but regained its sovereignty as a fully independent country in 1984. At that time, formal diplomatic relations were established with Japan.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Japan and Brunei have developed a good relationship based on energy resources. Japan has long been Brunei’s largest trading partner, with 90% of Brunei’s natural gas exports going to Japan.

In recent years, youth exchange has been very active, with the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) program for the 21st Century coming into effect in 2007, and JENESYS 2.0 coming into effect in 2013. The Cabinet Office’s “Ship for Southeast Asian Youth” program has also helped promote mutual understanding.

Sports exchanges are also flourishing. Badminton is popular in both countries and Judo is gaining popularity in Brunei thanks to the Brunei Judo Federation Brunei, which started operating in April 2018. In addition, with the cooperation of the Brunei Ministry of Education and Brunei University, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and the Japanese Language Speech Contest are held every year, and exchanges through the Japanese language are also taking place.

When the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in 2011, Japan received donations of approximately 100 million yen from the Bruneian government and approximately 23.84 million yen from the private sector, as well as messages of support.

Brunei is a popular destination for people seeking peaceful life

Brunei, which is supported by natural resources and boasts the second highest GDP among the ASEAN countries after Singapore, is a popular destination for those seeking a rich and peaceful environment.

There are no tuition fees for public schools and nine years of education, and scholarships of approximately 29,000 yen per month are distributed to Bruneian university students, and there are also scholarships available for students to attend universities abroad. In addition to the cost of education, medical care at public hospitals is free, and there are no personal income taxes or consumption taxes, and utility bills are low. Also, because it belongs to a tropical rainforest climate, it rains all year round, is hot and humid, and the average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius. It is a good environment for those who like a warm climate. 

However, entertainment is scarce and freedom is limited to some extent. In Brunei, the state religion is Islam, and for religious reasons, alcohol is not sold and there are no nighttime entertainment stores. Pork is also banned. The government can shut down the media, and there are severe restrictions on expression and reporting, which is why Brunei is ranked 152nd according to the 2020 World Press Freedom Index. Also, the country is overly dependent on natural resources, and when resource prices are low, the growth rate drops significantly, and resource depletion is also a problem. Therefore, in recent years, the country has been making efforts to break away from its dependence on natural resources through tourism and the production of local products.

As partners in Asia, I hope that Japan and Brunei will continue to deepen their relationship and develop together. 


日本とブルネイ:エネルギー資源を中心とした良好な国交

ブルネイとはどんな国?
ブルネイは東南アジアのボルネオ島北部に位置するイスラム教国です。首都はバンダル・スリ・ブガワンで、その首都にあるイスタナ・ヌルル・イマン宮殿は現国王の居城となっています(宮殿は世界最大級の宮殿としてギネスブックにも掲載されています。中には1788もの部屋に、257の浴室があります)。国名の「ブルネイ・ダルサラーム」は「永遠に平和なブルネイ」を意味します。

人口は約43万人で、国土は5,765㎡と三重県とほぼ同じ大きさですが、豊富な石油・天然ガスの恩恵で一人当たりの国民の所得水準が高く、社会福祉も充実しています。民族はマレー系が6割を占め、憲法で公用語はマレー語と定められていますが英語も使用され、広華人の間では中国語もある程度用いられています。

国の統治と政治に関しては、1984年にイギリスからの独立を達成して以降、スルタンというイスラム教国の君主が国家において権力を持ち続けています。スルタンは、首相、外務大臣、国防大臣、財務大臣、そしてブルネイのイスラム教の長を兼ねており、政治家や議会、司法にも制約されずに執行権を及ぼすことができます。今回はブルネイと日本の関係について学んでいきましょう。

日本との国交関係
第二次世界大戦中、ブルネイを支配していた英国軍を日本軍が排除し、 1942年から1945年の終戦までは日本が戦時統治していました。戦後は再び英国による統治に戻りましたが、1984年に完全な独立国として主権を回復しました。その際に日本との正式な国交関係も樹立しています。

日本とブルネイは国交樹立以来、エネルギーを基盤とした良好な関係を築いてきました。日本は長年にわたりブルネイ最大の貿易相手国であり、ブルネイの天然ガスの90%は日本への輸出になっています。

近年では青少年交流が活発に行われており、2007年からは「21世紀東アジア青少年大交流計画(JENESYS)」や、2013年からは「JENESYS2.0」が施行されています。また、内閣府「東南アジア青年の船」事業等も相互理解の促進に繋がっています。

スポーツ交流も盛んで、バドミントンや2018年4月に発足したブルネイ柔道連盟ブルネイの影響でブルネイでは柔道が普及しつつあります。また、ブルネイ教育省及びブルネイ大学の協力の元、「日本語能力試験」「日本語弁論大会」が毎年開催されており、日本語を通じた交流も行われています。

2011年に東日本大震災が起きた際には、日本はブルネイ政府から約1億円と民間から約2384万円の義援金と寄せ書き等のメッセージも受け取りました。

ブルネイは平和を求める人々の移住先としても人気
天然資源に支えられ、ASEAN諸国の中でシンガポールに次いで2位というGDPの高さを誇るブルネイは、豊かで平和な環境を求める人にとって移住先として人気です。

公立学校の学費や9年間の教育費も無料で、ブルネイ人大学生には毎月約29,000円の奨学金が配られ、海外の大学に進学しても奨学金があります。教育費だけでなく、公立病院の医療費も無料で個人の所得税や消費税などの税金もかからず光熱費も安いです。また、熱帯雨林気候に属しているため1年中雨が多く高温多湿で平均気温は28℃。暖かい気候が好きな人には良い環境で治安も良いです。

ただし娯楽は少なく、自由はある程度制限されています。ブルネイでは国教がイスラム教で、宗教上の理由で、お酒は販売されておらず、夜の娯楽店がありません。また豚肉も禁止されています。ブルネイでは、政府によるメディアの閉鎖が可能で、表現や報道に厳しい制限が設けられているため、2020年の世界の報道自由度指数によると、そのランキングは152位とされています。

そして、天然資源に依存しすぎている為に、資源価格が低迷すると成長率も著しく低下してしまい、資源の枯渇も問題視されています。その為、近年は観光や特産品の製作などに資源依存からの脱却に力を入れています。

同じアジアのパートナーとして日本とブルネイは今後もより関係を深め、共に発展して行けるように願っています。

参考:外務省, 日本アセアンセンター


Thank you for reading today’s post.
Until next time,
Taka

Filed Under: Family Planet Japan, International relations Tagged With: asean, asian countries, brunei and japan, brunei and japan relations, family planet japan, international relations, world history, アジア, アセアン, ファミリープラネットジャパン, ブルネイ, 世界史, 国交関係, 国際関係, 多文化共生, 日本とブルネイ, 日本とブルネイの関係, 異文化理解, 英語学習

How’s your life in Japan? (Online interview with Sean)

2020-06-19 by Taka

How are you doing?
We had another online interview with a foreign resident in Japan.
It was really fun talking with him and we got some interesting opinions about life in Japan.

He came to Takayama city about 3 year ago!

0:13 日本に来たきっかけは?
What brought you to Japan?

1:29 日本に馴染むのは大変だった?
Was it hard to fit in the different culture?

2:08 日本が外国人にとっても住みやすい場所になるには?
What should Japan work more on for foreign citizens?

3:35 どうやって日本語を習得した?
How did you learn Japanese?

5:11 日本の幼児教育について
About early child education in Japan.

7:23  先輩移住者としてアドバイス
Tips for new-comers

9:06  今回インタビューをしてみて
After the interview

I hope this will be helpful for someone thinking about coming to Japan in the future!

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.
Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

Filed Under: Culture, Daily life, Family Planet Japan Tagged With: family planet japan, foreign workers in japan, hidanotaka.com, life in japan, live in japan, online interveiw, ファミリープラネットジャパン, 外国人受け入れ, 外国人移住者, 日本の生活

Interview with a foreign worker from Mexico

2020-06-12 by Taka

How’s everything?
We had another online interview with our new friend from Mexico, Uriel-san.

30min interview movie with English subtitles!

0:38 日本に来たのはいつ? When did you come to Japan?
1:37 どこで日本語を学んだの? Where did you learn Japanese?
2:08 日本に来たきっかけは? What brought you to Japan?
3:17 メキシコでは日本語を学んでいる人は多い? Do many people study Japanese in Mexico?
3:43 どうやって日本語を勉強したの? How did you learn Japanese?
5:27 日本での仕事は? What do you do in Japan?
6:32 いつから高山に? When did you move to Takayama?
6:49 地方の生活は慣れた? How’s life in countryside?
7:18 初めて日本に来たときの苦労 Did you have any difficulties when you first came to Japan?
8:02 日本に移住してから苦労したことは?Did you have any difficulties after moving to Japan?
8:40 日本とメキシコの文化の違い Differences between Japan and Mexico.
10:52 日本の食べ物はどうですか? How’s the food in Japan?
12:35 日本でメキシコの料理を食べる? Do you eat Mexican food in Japan sometimes?
13:20 ホームシックになる? Do you get homesick?
14:12 他の外国人移住者と交流はある? Do you meet other foreign workers?
14:50 東京にいた時は交流の機会はありましたか? How about when you were in Tokyo? 
15:55 交流イベントの重要性 The importance of meetup events.
16:32 多文化共生を実現させるには? What can we do to live in harmony?20:44 先輩移住者としてアドバイス Tips for new-comers.
21:56 これからも日本に? Will you stay in Japan?
22:29 高山での生活における改善点 Any improvements suggested for Takayama?
25:03 今回インタビューをしてみて After the interview

I hope it will be helpful for those who are planning to move to Japan to know about what’s it like to live here.

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

Filed Under: Family Planet Japan Tagged With: family planet japan, foreign workers in japan, foreigners in japan, hidanotaka, japan immigrant workers, living in japan, living in japan for foreigners, ファミプラ, ファミリープラネットジャパン, メキシコ人, 国際社会, 外国人, 外国人労働者, 外国人受け入れ, 外国人移住者, 文化共生, 日本, 日本に住む外国人, 異文化交流, 異文化理解

Interview with a foreign worker in Japan

2020-05-15 by Taka

Hi, it’s been a while since I posted something here on my blog.

We used to have a lot of tourists from overseas in Japan but because of the virus, we have none these days.
I hope things will get better soon and everyone will be able to travel freely soon.

Although we do not have any tourists from different countries, we do have foreign workers living together in the community.
Me and my friend, Aya interviewed one of them and asked about life in Japan to share it to those who are planning to live in Japan.
Here’s the video of it.

Interview with Luke-san from the States

Interview with Luke

0:32 日本に来たのはいつ?When did you move to Japan?

2:19 日本の良い所は?Good things about Japan?

3:08 アジアで他に興味がある国は? Interested in other Asian countries?

3:50 他国で働く事は普通? Is it common to work overseas?

4:51 どうして日本を選んだの?Why did you choose Japan?

5:48 生活に慣れるのは大変でしたか?Was it hard to get settled?

8:23 日本の都会の生活はどうでしたか? How was your city life in Japan?

9:34 日本の地方(高山)の暮らしはどうですか?How is your life in Takayama?

13:18 友達は作りやすい? Is it easy to make frieds/meet new people?

13:55 これからも日本に滞在する?Are you planning to stay in Japan?

15:09 多文化共生に日本が必要な事は? What should Japan work on to live in harmony with foreign workers?

16:42 外国人労働者が日本社会に溶け込むには? Any good ways to get both Japanese and foreign workers together?

18:49 これから来る外国人労働者へアドバイス!Tips for newcommers. 

I hope it will give you some ideas of living in Japan.

Feel free to contact me [email protected] if you have any questions.
I teach Japanese/Japanese culture online (private class using Skype) as well.

Have a great day and stay safe!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

Filed Under: Family Planet Japan Tagged With: family planet japan, foreign workers in japan, foreigners in japan, interview, living in japan, move live in japan, moving to japan, ファミリープラネットジャパン, 外国人労働者, 多文化共生, 日本の生活, 異文化理解

5 great things in a beautiful water town, Gujo Hachiman

2019-10-22 by Taka

Hi, How are you? I’ve been traveling in Gifu area these days!

This time I wrote about a relatively unknown area to tourists, Gujo Hachiman. It is a small, riverside town which was founded in the 16th century as a castle town. 
Gujo is known for clear water, Ayu river fish, and Gujo dance festival.

Below are the 5 major places I visited and things you should check in Gujo Hachiman.

1.Hachiman castle 

Located on top of a hill, it is one of the oldest reconstructed wooden castles in Japan.
It was founded in 1559, destroyed in the early Meiji period(1868-1912) during Japan’s attempts to modernize called the Meiji Restoration, and was reconstructed in 1933. 
There is a museum inside of it, displaying a lot of materials from samurai era including the samurai armors, the heirloom of Aoyama clan, and samurai swords.
The castle keep is an important cultural property, and it was listed as one of the 100 Japanese castles in 2017. You can enjoy a panoramic view from there.During Autumn leaf season, the maple trees surrounding the area attract visitors. 

You can get to the castle by car or taxi. Or, if you like hiking, you can get there on foot. It takes about 20 min to get to the top. 

hachiman castle
It was one of the coolest castles I had ever visited!
top of hachiman castle
Great view from the top of the castle

Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm (Mar to May, Sep to Oct)
8:00am to 6:00pm (June to Aug)
  9:00am to 4:30pm (Nov to Feb)
*Closed from Dec 20th to Jan 10th

Price: 310yen (650yen for a ticket that includes the visit to the Hakurankan Museum) 

2.Hakurankan Museum

It is a museum located near Hachiman castle. 
It includes an exhibition, Gujo Odori demonstration, and Museum gift shop. You can learn about History and culture of Gujo-Hachiman here.

Hakurankan Museum
Hakurankan Museum

Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm (During Gujo-Odori event, it is open until 6:00pm)
Price: 540yen to enter. *Closed from Dec 24th to Jan 2nd

3.Gujo-Otori (Dance festival)

It is held from mid-July to early Sep (over 30 nights every day) every year.
It is designated as a significant intangible cultural folk asset by the Japanese government. 
It was originally started to encourage the town’s citizens to get together, and it has a history of over 400 years.
Dancers make a big circle and perform to the traditional music of Shamisen, Bamboo flute, and Taiko Drums. 
During Obon season in the summer, the festival continues all night and over 30,000 people gather. 

Lanterns for Gujo Odori.
Lanterns for Gujo Odori. Too bad that I couldn’t be there during the event!!

4.Igawa Komochi 

There is a small canal called Igawa Komochi located near the river (Yoshida river) close to Hachiman castle. 
Big Koi fish swim there peacefully and it really is a beautiful canal. 
Although it is small and short, the canal is very unique and worth visiting to take pictures!

Igawa Komichi
Entrance of Igawa Komichi
Koi fish
Koi fish. They were really big!

5.Food replicas 

Gujo hachiman is known as the home town of food replicas. 
You can not only enjoy watching very realistic food replicas, but also make them and take home as souveniors!
Samples are from Japanese food like temple and sushi to other kinds like pizza, curry, cake, etc. 
There are many places where you can make your own, but one of the most popular is Sample Kobo. The main shop (Honkon) is open from 9:00am to 17:00pm (closed on Tuesdays).

food replicas
They look really delicious but they are all food replicas!

Access

From Nagoya 

Take JR Tokaido Line or Meitetsu Konsen Line to Gifu station.
Then, take JR Takayama Line to Mino Ota Station, and use Nagaragawa Railway to Gujo Hachiman Station. 
(It is about 2 hours and 50 min travel)

From Takayama

Take Nohi express bus to Gujo-Hachiman station.
(It is about 1 hour and 45 min travel)

cafe by the river
At a cafe by the river. It was so peaceful that I could be there forever!

The city is very compact and rural, so you can see things just walking around. If you would like to enjoy a quiet, country side of Japan (and less touristy area), Gujo Hachiman is a great place to visit!

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

Filed Under: Places outside of Tokyo Tagged With: family planet japan, gifu, gujo hachiman, gujo odori, hachiman castle, hidanotaka, less touristy, rural area in japan, travel in japan, water city, ファミプラ, 八幡城, 岐阜県, 日本観光, 水がきれい, 郡上, 郡上八幡

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Taka/原貴浩

Taka吉祥寺出身の元大手英会話学校教務主任、作曲家、コンテンツ開発/編集者。高校生の時に出会ったアメリカ人の英語の先生がきっかけで英語や海外文化に興味を持つようになり、18歳で単身アメリカのフロリダ州へ音楽留学、主席で卒業。帰国後は舞台や楽曲制作などエンタメ業界に関わりながら長年英会話の講師として務め、英語関連の書籍や音声/動画コンテンツの制作、編集なども行っている。コロナ禍前に岐阜県の高山に移住し、同市の英語講師、通訳案内士やゲストハウスの立ち上げを行いながら、外国人移住者と地域住民との架け橋となる多文化共生支援団体、Family Planet Japanの代表としても活動。英語や音楽を通した人とのつながり作りや、まちづくりにも精力的に関わっている。 Introduction

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