Sunday, June 12, 2011

12/06 編集手帳


6月12日付

「はだかは御法度ごはっと/外国人に笑わるるな」「立小便/もっての外」。明治初期の新聞には、こうした政府のお達しが度々登場する。開国後、やってきた西洋人の侮蔑の目に、直ちに旧習を改める必要を痛感したのであろう◆日本人としての振る舞いを、政府は「作法要項」として学校で教えた。通知表は国語の上に「修身」があり、その上に「操行」つまり作法があったほどである。横山験也さんが『明治人の作法』(文春新書)に書いている◆作法要項は挨拶や敬礼、服装、食事、訪問迎接など多岐にわたる。これらの根底には、自らの分をわきまえ、相手の分(御分ごぶん)に敬意を払うという、古来変わらぬ日本人思想が流れていた◆大震災後、海外メディアからは「強奪も暴動も起きない」「我慢強く耐える姿に驚いた」と称賛された。多くの支援や声援も寄せられた。これらも御分の文化と無関係ではあるまい◆3か月がたち、原発避難者の留守宅などを狙った侵入盗が4割も増えているという。義援金募集をかたる詐欺や、M資金をエサにした融資話などがまたぞろ被災地を駆け回っていると聞く。これは情けない。
(2011年6月12日01時08分  読売新聞)

12/06 MUSINGS

The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's June 12 issue.
* * *
"Public nudity is forbidden. You should not subject yourself to the ridicule of foreigners." "Urinating in public is inexcusable." These government exhortations were often carried in newspapers of the early Meiji era (1868-1912).
The government was apparently trying to get the people to quickly change their ways to avoid the contempt of Westerners coming to Japan after the country opened up to the world.
The government also had schools teach children "essential Japanese manners."
In school report cards, the subject of "moral training" was listed above "Japanese [language]." Listed even higher was the "code of conduct," which covered public manners.
So wrote Kenya Yokoyama in his book "Meiji-jin no Saho" (Manners of the Japanese in the Meiji Era), published in a pocket-size edition by Bungeishunju Ltd.
The essential manners covered a wide range of behavior, including "greetings," "salutations," "attire," "table manners," and "making visits or receiving visitors." Running throughout these manners was the time-honored Japanese ethic of knowing one's place and respecting others.
Foreign media praised the behavior of the Japanese in the wake of the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami, saying such things as, "There was neither robbery nor rioting," or "I marveled at how patiently people endured hardship." Foreign countries also gave Japan much support and encouragement. These reactions may have had something to do with Japan's culture of respecting others.
Three months have passed since the March 11 disaster. The number of burglaries in Fukushima Prefecture, particularly of houses left vacant by evacuees near the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, increased 40 percent during the March-May period from the same period last year.
And some have fraudulently sought donations for victims of the disaster. Others have tried to swindle disaster victims by claiming they could extend loans from the unconfirmed M-Fund the GHQ allegedly obtained from the former Japanese military forces after the war and charging up-front commissions for arranging the loans.
These are shameful acts indeed.
(Jun. 16, 2011)

Gái trẻ điêu đứng vì đàn ông có vợ


12/6/2011

Ảnh minh họa: sheknows.com.
Ảnh minh họa: Sheknows.com.

Sau vài lần chạm mặt, dù biết Thành đã có vợ con, Thu vẫn yêu tha thiết. Vẻ chững chạc, đàn ông và thái độ lúc vồn vã, khi hững hờ của chàng giám đốc đa tài khiến cô càng "say".
Chiêu lừa tình của đàn ông có vợ

Là thư ký một công ty lớn tại Đống Đa, Hà Nội, vẻ ngoài xinh đẹp, tự tin, Thu được nhiều chàng trai trẻ săn đón. Thế nhưng, cô lại gục trước người hơn mình một giáp và đã yên bề gia thất.
"Anh ấy điềm đạm, chiều chuộng em hết mình nhưng cũng rất quyết đoán, chứ không quỵ lụy như mấy anh chàng từng 'cưa' em. Ở bên anh ấy em luôn cảm thấy thú vị, ấm áp", Thu lý giải.
Mặc dù vậy, cũng không ít lần cô gái 26 tuổi này phải buồn tủi và nổi ghen với vợ và hai cậu con của Thành. "Anh ấy bảo không yêu vợ nữa nhưng không thể bỏ các con. Những ngày lễ, Tết, em ngồi gặm nhấm nỗi cô đơn nghĩ tới cảnh người đàn ông mình yêu đang vui vẻ bên vợ con mà tim đau nhói", Thu kể.

12/06 余録:先月、何年ぶりかで台北の故宮博物院を訪れ…

 先月、何年ぶりかで台北の故宮博物院を訪れ、様変わりに驚いた。あまりに中国人の入場者が多かったからだ。あちこちで旗を持ったガイドがツアー客に中国語で説明している。故宮には中国の歴代王朝の宝物が多数展示されているので、中国の人たちが一目見たいと思うのは当然だろう▲ただ、いただけないのは、大声でおしゃべりする人が多いことだ。中国人客が増えるにつれ、参観マナーが問題となってきた。対策として、職員が「請軽声細語(お話は小さな声で)」と書いた案内板を掲げて館内を回り、注意を呼び掛けている▲中国の観光客が台湾を訪問できるようになったのは、3年前からだ。対中交流に力を入れる国民党の馬英九政権が、団体旅行に限って認めた。昨年の中国人観光客は163万人に上り、初めて日本人を抜いて1位となる▲馬政権は間もなく、個人旅行も解禁する方針だ。中台間の直行便も、週370便から550便以上に増便する。これで中国人客はますます増えるだろう▲日本も一昨年、中国人の富裕層を対象に個人観光客を受け入れた。昨夏には中間層にも広げ、昨年1年間に日本を訪れた中国人客数は4割も伸びている。今年はさらに増加が見込まれていたが、東日本大震災でキャンセルが相次ぎ、4月の中国人客は前年に比べ半減した。訪日外国人客全体では6割の大幅減となる▲震災から3カ月、ようやく回復の兆しも見えてきたようだ。関係機関が協力し、世界の観光客を呼び戻したい。海外の人たちに日本を直接見てもらうことは、震災からの復興ぶりを国際社会にアピールするいい機会にもなるはずだ。
毎日新聞 2011年6月12日 東京朝刊