Exploring Japan: Appreciating Japanese Sounds

The Japanese have traditionally lived with a deep respect for Nature, and they developed a lifestyle that was well harmonized with it. We introduce the Japanese sense of appreciation for natural sounds, including the croaking of Kajika singing frogs living in the river, the rustling of bamboo leaves in the river, the rustling of bamboo leaves in the breeze, the refreshing tinkle of "furin" wind-bells, and the distinctive sounds of Japanese musical instruments produced from natural materials, such as shamisens, flutes and drums.

Japan's Assistance for Iraq

Japan's assistance for Iraq has been developed based on two main activities around the town of Samawa: the implementation of Official Development Assistance, ODA, including the provision of trucks to distribute clean water; and humanitarian relief provided by the Japan Self-Defense Forces, JSDF, including medical assistance and helping with reconstruction and repair work on roads and public facilities. In addition, construction has begun on a large-scale power station through ODA. We provide an update on Japan's assistance being conducted in cooperation with local people in Samawa.

Japanese Anime in Malaysia

Many elements of Japanese pop culture feature strongly in newspapers and magazines today in Malaysia, including character goods, fashions for young people, manga comics and anime animation films. There are even shops specializing in Japanese pop culture, and Japanese animation programs compete for the top ratings on Malaysian TV. In this segment, we investigate Malaysians on the street.

Citizens in City Planning

The city of Mitaka, 18 kilometers west of the centre of Tokyo, has a population of about 170'000. It features Japan's most advanced example of local administration with citizen participation. The mayor of Mitaka asked residents to draw up basic plans for city revitalization and promised that their proposals would be implemented. The citizens of Mitaka came to participate in the administration, being regarded as founts of wisdom and knowledge rather than just as simple taxpayers. We introduce the unprecedented local administration being carried out by the enthusiastic residents of Mitaka.