Organizing the Development of the High-Speed Railway Network and Measures Taken on Parallel Conventional Railways in Japan since the 1990s

Japan’s nationwide railway network is narrow gauge (1067 mm). By contrast, the high-speed railway, which started service in 1964, is standard gauge (1435 mm). Narrow-gauge railway lines, or “conventional lines,” and standard-gauge high-speed railway lines, or “Shinkansen,” are independent of each other and do not connect directly or mix. However, as railway technology has advanced and the Japanese government has expanded the high-speed railway network throughout Japan, limited sections of the Shinkansen and conventional lines now operate interconnectedly. Deteriorating market share and labor-management relations led to the Japanese National Railways (J.N.R.), which had operated Japan’s high-speed railway system, being declared bankrupt in 1987. The JR Passenger Company, which took over J.N.R.’s railroad business, also took over the management of the high-speed railways. The Japanese government established clear rules for the expansion plan of the high-speed railway network after reforming the J.N.R. Therefore, this study briefly introduces Japan’s high-speed railway network, starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, the first to open, and explains measures taken for the JR conventional lines that run parallel to the high-speed railways

Reform of Procedure about Civil Remedies for Victims of Slander on the Internet in Japan

In recent years, suicides caused by slander on the Internet have become a major social problem in Japan. However, the procedure for disclosure of sender’s information, which is used to prepare for filing a lawsuit claiming damages against the wrongdoer, had problems regarding the structure of the procedure and the subject of disclosure. Therefore, the Act on Limitation of Liability of Providers was amended in 2021. This paper provides an overview of this amendment

Essay on the Revitalization of Local Communities

It is difficult to theorize regional revitalization due to the differences in the characteristics of each local government. However, it may be possible to generalize its basic features: “regional management” and “financial surplus.” The problem of regional revitalization is conventionally discussed from a perspective of public administration. However, this paper reexamines the problem from a management theory perspective. Considering the starting point of regional revitalization is the surplus of public finances, attention is focused on the local tax law, especially on the importance of inhabitant tax, fixed property tax, and resident population policy. The paper also shows that the attraction of integrated resorts and accompanying income from tourism cannot contribute to the surplus of local government finances. Based on these findings, it is hoped that individual local governments will develop their own policies

‘Aboutness’ Relation in Japanese Topicalization: An Analysis of the NP1 wa NP2 da Construction

This study investigates the comprehension of a Japanese topicalized construction with the structure NP1 wa (topic) NP2 da (copula) by native speakers of Japanese. The meaning of this kind of sentence can be extremely ambiguous when NP1 and NP2 do not refer to an identical referent. However, it is usually not considered ambiguous when used in a particular context since the context indicates how it is meant to be understood. This study examines the uses of this construction in experimentally controlled contexts. The results indicate the significant effects of the syntactic or semantic relation with the particular verb in the context and the NP2 or information about a particular place presented by a locative frame. These results facilitate a new understanding of the ‘aboutness’ relation, which is established through the process of interpreting an NP1 wa NP2 da sentence in the context

Development of Regional Revitalization Policy by Roadside Stations: From its birth to a New Response in Post-Covid World

The Roadside Station is expected to serve as the base facilities for the regional revitalization, with functions for rest, information transmission and regional alliance. In this study, the reason why the Roadside Station has developed as it is today examined from the social background and institutional characteristics, and future issues are considered. First, the institutional characteristics of Roadside Stations are theoretically examined, and the original system supporting them is examined and analyzed. The case analysis on the effort of Priority Roadside Station is carried out. Second, a case study is conducted on the new development of Roadside Stations, and the future development of Roadside Stations that have entered a new stage called the 3rd stage and the response in post-covid world are viewed

Pandemics and the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information: Issues concerning the Restriction on the Right to Privacy in Emergencies

This article focuses on issues which need to be considered in aiming to ensure both the effectiveness of infectious disease control measures and the protection of the right to privacy from the following perspectives. (1) Issues regarding the restriction of the right to privacy in emergency situations, including (i) the types of measures taken in emergency situations and issues with respect to the restriction of the right to privacy in emergency situations, (ii) the normalisation, constancy and fixation of exceptional measures in emergency situations, (iii) dual-use and use for purposes different from those originally intended, (iv) acquisition of secondary information and the emergence of unexpected situations (e.g. the applicability of body temperature to special care-required personal information and the acquisition of secondary information associated with the measurement of body temperature, and examples of mission creep); and (5) the need to respond to over-reaction without recognising the urgency of the situation. (2) Issues concerning privacy in countermeasures against infectious diseases, including (i) the procedures for requesting and disclosing personal information and privacy, (ii) the obligation to cooperate in active epidemiological investigations of specific patients and others based on the amended Infectious Diseases Control Act and restrictions on the right to privacy, (iii) the applicability of personal information concerning the acceptance of tests and other examinations as special care-required personal information, and (iv) the need to respond to over-reaction without recognising the urgency of the situation. (ii) the necessity of the implementation of information security management measures in relation to infectious disease countermeasures. (3) Issues concerning the use of technology for the purpose of countermeasures against infectious diseases and privacy, including (i) the use of GPS location information, (ii) considerations required to resolve concerns in the introduction and spread of contact confirmation applications, (iii) the acquisition of biometric information and the use of biometrics, and (iv) sewage epidemiological surveys and privacy (privacy of drainage)

Job Perspectives of University Students Aspiring to Become Civil servants using Q sort: Based on the 2020 Toyo University Student Survey

This study questioned what kind of gap in perceptions of work perspectives exists between current and aspiring civil servants in the first place, and whether there are differences in perceptions of work perspectives between students who aspire to become civil servants and those who aspire to work in the private sector. This was examined in an exploratory approach by using data from Q Sort, a Q methodology study, to capture the value perceptions surrounding work perspectives, particularly among students who aspire to become civil servants. The data compared were students aspiring to become civil servants, students aspiring to work in the private sector, and current civil servants. As a result of the comparison, several characteristics of students who aspire to become civil servants were found. For example, there was a significant difference in the averages of social contribution attitudes, rule-abiding consciousness, and the tendency to think carefully before taking action compared not only with students who aspire to work in the private sector but also with those who are currently in the civil servants\u27 profession. In addition, compared to students who wanted to work in the private sector, students who wanted to work in public service had a larger mean difference and a significant difference in their awareness of reaching out to and involving others and creating a network beyond the organization. Compared to current civil servants, the mean differences were significantly lower for being proactive in one\u27s work and being interested in various things. It can be pointed out that while students wishing to become civil servants have a strong sense of social contribution and compliance with rules, they may also have a rather passive attitude. On the other hand, it is interesting to observe that there was almost no difference in the average difference between those who aspired to the private sector and those who aspired to the civil servants regarding their stability consciousness. This overturns the common stereotype that stability-minded people aspire to become civil servants. These characteristics may indicate implications that could contribute to recruitment and training in HR management in public administration

Reconsidering the Senkaku Islands Issue from an International Legal Perspective

According to Japan’s position, it is clear that the Senkaku Islands are an inherent part of Japan, as evidenced by both historical facts and international law, and therefore there is no “disputes” about the sovereign title of the islands. However, in Mavro Mmatis En Palestine, a dispute is a disagreement on a point of law or fact, a conflict of legal view or interests between two parties, and it is not sufficient for one party to a contentious case to assent that a dispute exists with the other party

The Policy of Plastic Waste Reduction: A Case of Kanagawa Zero Plastic Waste Declaration

Marine plastics and microplastics become the global problem. In Japan the mandatory charge for a plastic bag was introduced as the plastic measure. Kanagawa Prefecture, located in Japan\u27s metropolitan area, has implemented advanced plastic measures. Therefore, this paper considers Kanagawa zero plastic waste declaration and the efforts of local governments concurring with the approved. Therefore, this paper considers Kanagawa zero plastic waste declaration and the efforts of the local government approving．Kanagawa is divided into four areas: urban areas, coastal areas, inland, and mountainous region. This paper analyzes the method for zero plastic waste

The Community-based Integrated Care System in the Context of the Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

Abstract Since the establishment of the Long-term Care Insurance System in 2000, the promotion of the Community-based Integrated Care System has been advocated in COVID-19 Pandemic. But H30 Research Report on Community-based Integrated Care expects mutual aid based on self-help, while accepting economic and health disparities on the ground of inevitable disparities . We will discuss the Community-based Integrated Care System in the era of emerging viruses with a view to infectious disease pandemics such as the novel coronavirus pandemic in relation to the significance and prospects of ACP (Advance Care Planning)