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Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule April 2-8
April 2, 2012 (MON)
07:16 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
08:26 Both leave
08:48 Parliament
09:00 The Upper House Budget Committee
11:59 Office of PM
05:50 Mr. Nakao, Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs ;Mr. Okada, Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
06:00 Frontier Subcommittee of the Council on National Strategy and Policy
06:09 Three DPJ/Government Executive Meeting
07:00 Conference call with Ms. Merkel, Prime Minister of Germany
07:21 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
07:25 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
07:53 Residence of PM
April 3, 2012 (TUE)
08:33 Headquarters for Administrative Reform Implementation
08:50 Ministerial meeting
11:40 Mr. Yuhei Sato, Governor of Fukushima Prefecture; and Mr. Katsutaka Idogawa, Mayor of Futaba-machi, Fukushima
12:02 Everyone leaves
01:51 Mr. Takagi, DPJ constituency chairman
02:28 Mr. Takagi leaves
03:59 Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM
05:16 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
06:11 Attend Arab Day Reception at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
07:03 Meeting among Four Ministers on the Issue of Nuclear Power Stations
April 4, 2012 (WED)
07:16 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
05:18 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs
06:15 Mr. Tezuka leaves
06:59 At NHK
07:30 Appear on a NHK TV program
10:10 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General; Mr. Jojima, DPJ Deputy Secretary General; and Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General, leave
10:26 Mr. Maehara, chairperson of DPJ Policy Research Council, leaves
April 5, 2012 (THU)
08:37 Mr. Nagahama leaves
08:51 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry
01:01 The Upper House Plenary Session
02:45 Mr. Hirofumi Hirano, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
02:52 The Lower House Plenary Session
03:57 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Tanaka, Minister of Defense; and Mr. Ihara, Director-General of North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
04:37 Mr. Gemba and Mr. Ihara leave
05:30 Mr. Hirata, Chairperson of the Upper House; Mr. Otsuji, Vice-Chairperson of the Upper House; Mr. Tsuruho, Chair of the Steering Committee.
05:48 Mr. Eto, Lower House Vice Chair; Mr. Kodaira, Chair of the Steering Committee; and others. Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Azumi, Minister of Finance; and Mr. Katsu, Administrative Vice-Minister of Finance, accompany
06:04 Press interview
April 6, 2012 (FRI)
07:50 Breakfast with Mr. Homei Shirakawa, Governor , Bank of Japan, at a Japanese restaurant "Suiren" in the Capitol Hotel Tokyu
09:25 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office; and . Mukuki, Director of the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center
09:35 Mr. Mukuki leaves
09:51 Mr. Kitamura leaves
10:29 Mr. Ono, Director-General of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy
10:44 Mr. Sasae, Administrative Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
11:32 Mr. Yoshitake Yokokura, President of The Japan Medical Association; Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, also attends
11:39 Mr. Masanao Ozaki, Governor of Kochi Prefecture; Mr. Kamon Iizumi, Governor of Tokushima; and others
01:00 Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General
01:57 Delivers an Address to New Civil Servants
03:10 Imperial Palace, Appoint ceremony for newly appointed Senior Vice-Ministers and Parliamentary Secreatries
04:23 Giving of Letters of Assignment to newly appointed Senior Vice-Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries followed by a photo shooting session
04:44 Mr. Jimi, Head of the People's New Party (Kokumin Shinto); Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General; Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General; and Mr. Shimoji, Secretary-General of the People's New Party
April 7, 2012 (SAT)
07:19 Haneda Airport
07:51 Leave the airport on JAL Flight 103
08:41 Arrive at Itami Airport
10:04 Visit Kashiwabara Prefectural Hospital in Tanba City, Hyogo Prefecture. Observe the pediatrics unit
10:10Meeting with Mr. Toshizo Ido, Governor of Hyogo Prefecture; and Mr. Adachi, Hospital Director
12:33 Konan University, Nishinomiya Campus
12:34 Lunch with Hajime Ishii, DPJ Upper House member; Mr. Toshiro Ishii, DPU Lower House member; and Mr. Mizuoka, Special Advisor to PM
12:48 Mr. Matsumoto, DPJ Deputy Diet Affairs Chief
12:51 Mr. Masahiro Kono, Mayor of Nishinomiya City
01:03 The "Peace of Mind for Tomorrow Dialogue" in Hyogo Prefecture
02:24 Dialogue ends
03:02 Itami Airport
04:31 Arrive at Haneda Airport
April 8, 2012 (SUN)
Spend the morning at the residence
01:05 Mr. Jojima, DPJ Deputy Secretary General
02:20 Mr. Jojima leaves
Labels: Japan, PMJ Schedule
Misunderstandings on the US Military Bases in Okinawa
Longtime APP member, Ms. Yukie Yoshikawa, a fellow at the Regional Security Policy Division of the Okinawa Prefectural Government, published a CSIS Pacific Forum PacNet essay on April 5. She observes that although the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma in Okinawa has been the source of a long dispute between the United States and Japan, there is scant hope for resolution in the foreseeable future.
Ms. Yoshikawa finds this situation peculiar, since all parties – the US, Japan, and Okinawa – agree that the Futenma base is dangerous (with homes and schools close by), share the goals of removing the risk of accidents and reducing the US footprint on the local community, and have strong respect for the US-Japan alliance. Yet, nearly two decades passed with little change. She writes:
Roughly, 20 percent of Okinawans are pro-base (many of whom benefit from contracts with the Japanese defense ministry), and another 20 percent is anti-base, demanding a return of all bases in Okinawa. The silent majority of 60 percent is moderate, with mixed sentiments that include admiration for American culture and economic benefits, especially in the past, and anger and sorrow toward crimes by US soldiers, especially marines, and all the inconvenience the bases create, including noise. Given Prime Minister Hatoyama's flip-flops, which alienated the silent majority, it is expected to take some more time for them to express understanding of the Henoko plan.
For Okinawans, a tangible reduction of the US military presence at the earliest possible time, while giving deference to Okinawa's political climate, is the highest priority. Okinawans appreciate the intellectual exploration of alternatives to the Henoko plan, including those of US Sen. Jim Webb, Mike Mochizuki at George Washington University and Michael O'Hanlon at the Brookings Institution, and encourage others to follow suit.
Ideas worth pursuing further, include: merging MCAS Futenma marines into Kadena Air Base, while shrinking the US footprint to a smaller level than that currently at Kadena; a considerable reduction of marines in Okinawa to fill vacancies back home in alignment with marine corps downsizing; and a two-step measure to first, temporarily move marines to a few bases including MCAS Iwakuni, Kadena, and/or Self-Defense Force bases to clear MCAS Futenma while allowing Tokyo more time to find a suitable Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) site, and then to relocate them to that site.
In April 2012, the Okinawan Prefectural Government created a new division, the Regional Security Policy Division, to develop an Okinawa version of alternatives, and to discuss them with distinguished external experts and with the two capitals. This is a bold step for a Japanese local government. The OPG thought out of the box and decided it had to do so as a responsible host to US Forces in Japan, a sincere contributor to regional security, and as a proud representative of Okinawans who have suffered enough and continue to do so.
Labels: APP Members in Print, Okinawa, US-Japan Alliance
This Week in Washington
IMPROVED OIL SECURITY: AN IMPERATIVE FOR U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. 4/16, Noon-1:45pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Hudson Institute. Speakers: Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, CEO, FedEx Corporation, Co-Chairman, SAFE's Energy Security Leadership Council; P. X. Kelley, 28th Commandant, United States Marine Corps, Co-Chairman, Energy Security Leadership Council; James Conway, 34th Commandant, United States Marine Corps, Member, Energy Security Leadership Council; Bob Lutz, Former Vice Chairman, General Motors Company. Moderator: Kenneth Weinstein, President, CEO, Hudson Institute.
POWER, IDENTITY, AND SECURITY IN ASIA: VIEWS ON REGIONAL COOPERATION AND THE US ROLE. 4/16, 9:00am- 5:45pm, Washington, DC. Sponsors: George Washington University (GWU) Elliott School of International Affairs; Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the Rising Powers Initiative. Speakers: Deepa Ollapally, Associate Director, Sigur Center for Asian Studies, Associate Research Professor of International Affairs, GW; Alyssa Ayres, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Chair, State Department; Deepa Ollapally, Associate Director, Sigur Center for Asian Studies, Associate Research Professor of International Affairs, GW; Amitabh Mattoo, Professor of Disarmament Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Director, Australia India Institute, University of Melbourne; Jonah Blank, Senior Political Scientist, RAND Corporation; Edward J. Lincoln, Professorial Lecturer, GW (Chair); Mike Mochizuki, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Japan-US Relations Chair, Memory of Gaston Sigur, Elliott School of International Affairs, GW; Isao Miyaoka, Associate Professor of International Politics, Department of Political Science, Keio University; Sheila Smith, Senior Fellow for Japan Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Thomas Hubbard, McLarty Associates, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea; Gregg Brazinsky, Associate Professor of History and International Affairs, GW; Jong-dae Shin, Associate Professor, University of North Korean Studies; Ji-Young Lee, Assistant Professor, School of International Service, American University; Chas W. Freeman, Jr., Former Assistant Secretary, Defense for International Security Affairs; Satu Limaye, Director, Chair, East-West Center in Washington; Amitav Acharya, Professor of International Relations, School of International Service, American University; Allan Layug, Japanese Government Scholar, Sophia University, Japan; Alice Ba, Associate Professor, Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware; Evan Medeiros, Director, Chair, for Asian Affairs, National Security Council; Allen Carlson, Associate Professor, Department of Government, Cornell University; Taylor Fravel, Associate Professor of Political Science, MIT; G. John Ikenberry, Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University; Charles Glaser, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Director, Institute for Security and Conflict Studies, GW.
POLITICS AND THE JUDICIARY IN NORTHEAST ASIA. 4/17, 3:30pm-5:30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Asia Program, Wilson Center (WWC). Speakers: Carl Goodman, Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown University; David Law, Professor of Law and Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis; Jonathan Kang, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Washington.
POPULATION DECLINE AND THE REMAKING OF GREAT POWER POLITICS. 4/17, Noon-1:30pm, lunch, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Hudson Institute. Speakers: Susan Yoshihara, Ph.D., Director, International Organizations Research Group, C-FAM, and Coeditor, Population Decline and the Remaking of Great Power Politics; Phillip Longman, Senior Research Fellow, New America Foundation; Thomas Mahnken, Ph.D., Jerome Levy Chair of Economic Geography and National Security, U.S. Naval War College, and Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense; John Fonte Ph.D. (Host and Moderator) Director of Hudson Institute's Center for American Common Culture.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD AFGHANISTAN. 4/18, 2:00-3:00pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Carnegie Endowment. Speakers: John McCain, Senator; Jessica Tuchman Mathews, President, Carnegie Endowment.
ENGAGING ASIA 2012: STRATEGIES FOR A SHIFT TOWARD THE ASIA-PACIFIC. 4/18, 8:30am- 12:30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: National Bureau of Asian Research. Speakers: Ambassador Mike Moore of New Zealand to the United States; Charles Boustany, Congressman, co-Chair, the House of Representatives US-China Working Group, Member, House Ways and Means Committee; Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, member of the House Armed Services Committee; Edward Gresser, Director, Progressive Economy; Thomas Mahnken, Chair, Economic Geography and National Security, Scholar, Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS); Michael O'Hanlon, Director, Research and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Michael Schiffer, Senior Advisor, Counselor, US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM: APEC IN 2012. 4/19, Noon-1:30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: East-West Center in Washington. Speakers: Hans Klemm, Senior Official, APEC; Wendy Cutler, Assistant US Trade Representative, APEC.
AN ASSERTIVE CHINA AND ASIA'S EMERGING REGIONAL ORDER: THE VIEW FROM A POTENTIALLY CONFLICTED AMERICAN ALLY. 4/19, Noon- 1:30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: East-West Center in Washington. Speaker: Dr. Nick Bisley, Professor, Department Head of Politics and International Relations, La Trobe University, Australia.
Labels: Afghanistan, APEC, APP Member Event, China, Demographics, Energy, Law, Security, This Week in Washington, US Foreign Policy
Shintaro Ishihara in Washington This Week
Tokyo Press Conference March 23 (J)
Ultra conservative Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara will be in Washington April 13-18. He will participate in Cherry Blossom Festival activities, talk at Georgetown University, give a public speech at the Heritage Foundation, and hold a roundtable at CNAS. He also had a private meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to discuss the commercial use of Yokota AF Base. He is likely more interested in having Japanese planes reclaim the Imperial Army's Tama Airfield than bringing in more tax yen for Tokyo. HERE is a picture of the Governor in the Cherry Blossom Parade held on the 14th.
THE U.S.-JAPAN ALLIANCE AND THE DEBATE OVER JAPAN'S ROLE IN ASIA. 4/16, 1:00-2;30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Asian Studies Center, The Heritage Foundation. Speakers: The Honorable Shintaro Ishihara, Governor of Tokyo; Followed by a Panel Discussion with Richard Lawless, Former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs; James Auer, Director, Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation, Vanderbilt University; Walter Lohman, Director, Asian Studies Center, The Heritage Foundation (Moderator).
Labels: APP Member Event, Conservatives, Ishihara Shintaro, Japan
American Manufacturing - Did You Know?
Labels: Competitiveness, Global Economy, Manufacturing, US-China
Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule March 26-April 1
March 26, 2012 (MON)
07:19 Depart Haneda Airport for the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul
Arrive at Seoul Gimpo Airport, stay at the Lotte Hotel
March 27, 2012 (TUE)
"COEX", a convention center in Seoul, President Lee Myung-bak welcomes.
Meeting with President Hu Jintao of China; then, with President Obama of the United States
Plenary session of the Nuclear Security Summit
Meeting with President Medvedev of Russia
Photo shooting with other heads of states
Working lunch with other heads of states
Press interview at the Lotte Hotel
Depart Seoul Gimpo Airport
05:43 Imperial Palace: report of return
06:01 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister; and Mr. Terada, Special Advisor to PM
06:48 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister; and Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General; Mr. Maehara, chairperson of DPJ Policy Research Council
07:43 Mr. Koshiishi and Mr. Maehara leave
07:48 Mr. Okada leaves
09:13 Mr. Maehara, chairperson of DPJ Policy Research Council, joins
09:40 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General, joins
March 28, 2012 (WED)
10:22 Mr. Kinoshita, Director-General of the International Bureau, Ministry of Finance
11:01 Meeting for an Exchange of Views on Children and Child-Rearing
12:02 Courtesy call from Ms. Etsuko Tamagawa, Japan Cherry Blossoms Queen.
12:07 Ms. Tamagawa leaves
02:20 Mr. Edano, Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry; and Mr. Sugawara, Director-General of Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
02:28 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, joins
02:32 Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, joins
03:40 Courtesy Call from the Representatives of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Who Received the Fuji Award
03:51 Meeting Adjourned
04:50 Mr. Masaki Yoshida, and Mr. Koji Kato, The Maritime Self Defense Force, Old and New Sasebo headquarter general
06:01 Prime Minister Monti of Italy,
06:54 Press Announcement
07:07 See of Mr. Monti at the entrance of PM office
07:27 Dinner with Mr. Edano, Mr. Tezuka, and Mr. Honda at "Barbecue House Sanpo", Kagurazaka, Tokyo
March 29, 2012 (THU)
09:31 Extraordinary ministerial meeting
10:00 The Upper House Committee on General Affairs
11:43 Mr. Taketoshi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
02:01 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office; and Mr. Mukuki, Director of the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center
03:44 The Upper House Committee on Financial Affairs
05:23 The Central Disaster Prevention Council
05:43 Meeting with Mr. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook; Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM, attends
06:04 Japan-Chile Summit Meeting with Dr. Sebastian Pinera Echenique, President of the Republic of Chile
06:33 Dinner hosted by Prime Minister
07:44 See off President Pinera
07:57 Mr. Kamei, Leader of the People's New Party (Kokumin Shinto)
10:07 Mr. Kamei leaves
March 30, 2012 (FRI)
07:54 Security Council
08:43 Appointment issue to Mr. Osamu Ikeda, Chair of National Public Service Ethics Board; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, also attends
08:59 The Lower House Budget Committee
04:04 Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
04:37 Mr. Fujimura, and Mr. Saito leave
06:00 Press Conference
06:41 Greeting from the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture
07:21 Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters
07:42 Mr .Maeda, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transportation
07:50 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
March 31, 2012 (SAT)
Spend whole at the residence
When Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Visits the United States
When a head of state of a major country visits the United States, there is a focus in the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council on "deliverables" – items of agreement where one or both sides have made some sacrifices and which can be offered as bullet points in a press release.
An upcoming visit by Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko to Washington (April 30-May 1) to meet with President Barak Obama may be seen as a disappointment or even pointless to American foreign policy observers. There are virtually no big ticket deliverables in Prime Minister Noda's travel bag.
On all the major issues that interest the United States – progress in the construction of a Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) at Henoko on Okinawa, a clear mandate from the Diet for the Prime Minister to negotiate Japan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership preliminary talks with no exclusions, Japan's immediate signature on the Hague Convention on child abduction; greater commitments of Japanese military power to the security of the Asia-Pacific region and the Gulf as the U.S. makes "the pivot" in its focus from West Asia to East Asia – Noda has no capacity to make any promises.
The best hope for a civil and significant conversation in between the prime minister and the president would be over the Japan-U.S. relationship in a broad context.
On Futenma, for example, the PM can report that he has sent minister after minister and even gone himself to Okinawa to seek the understanding of the people of Okinawa. He will, if he dares, point out that a lot of Japanese citizens have been paying close attention to words of Senator Jim Webb and to the U.S. Congress spiking the apportionment for the U.S. contribution to the Futenma-Henoko-Guam plan. While Noda is self-effacing and non-confrontational in his speech patterns, he might ask what U.S. plans are regarding the Marine Corps, which would put President Obama on his back foot.
The question of Japanese importation of Iranian oil is tied into the question of restarting Japan's nuclear power plants. There will be huge delays in the restarting of Japan's nuclear plants, too many of which are close to the 40-year lifespan of such facilities. The lack of nuclear power has compelled Japan to keep its oil-fired plants full blast, forcing Japan to rely on large amounts of imported bunker oil. Energy security has become a major issue among Japanese strategic thinkers, since with the exception of Australia and Indonesia, Japan will have to be keep buying fossil fuels from the Gulf, where the close of the Strait of Hormuz would lead to chaos in every East Asian nation, not just Japan. As for buying oil on the spot market, it can only be realized with folks the U.S. would find unsavory.
As regards global financial stresses, particularly the situation in Europe, the PM will promise that Japan will be a full partner in aiding Europe to right itself financially. However, the government of Japan has, along with China, a quiet reticence about doing much of anything for Europe. For China it is a question of balancing the needs of some of China's best customers versus the use of China's money to help the Chinese people directly. In Japan, the question is electoral, as the voters here will ask why Japanese taxes have to rise in order to bail out Greek pensioners.
Noda will probably want to talk all day about his government's efforts to put its fiscal house in order. He will try to assure the president that raising the consumption during a period of deflation is a good idea, when the president's own economists will tell him what an absolutely terrible idea it is. Noda will try to paint the consumption tax rise as Japan's contribution to greater global financial stability, as if constricting Japanese consumption will help the world economy grow. He will also use the current fiscal numbers to try to explain the otherwise unexplainable: that after the Self Defense Forces saw their greatest deployment since '45 and performed a magnificent job in rescue and recovery from 3/11 and when it must counter rising, multi-faceted regional threats -- the Noda government has gone ahead and cut the SDF's budget again.
Noda will likely also touch upon the high yen, for the sake of Japan's manufacturers. Not that there is anything much the president can or would want to do. Having Ben Bernanke raise U.S. interest rates, the only action the U.S. could take that would relieve the pressure lifting the yen, is nowhere on the president's horizon. Noda would love to say that Japan's growth is being stifled by the yen's strength and the problems with electricity supply, leading to the withering of Japan's manufacturing base, with production flying overseas, skipping over the structural issues the United States would like to bring up. He will also probably bring up the matter of Japan's moving into a structural trade deficit, a huge reversal of Japan's longstanding position in international trade in goods.
Noda will also want to talk about the political situation in the Diet, and how he is making the most of the split in the parties control of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. He may try to draw parallels between his situation and the situation the president faces with Congress, in order to put the difficulties he faces in some perspective.
On foreign policy, Noda will try to steer the conversation away from Japan's contribution to classical security and toward Japan's more obvious contributions to the more diffuse realm of human security. He likely will asking for the U.S. to work with Japan in building a better international infrastructure for dealing with natural disasters. He will also seek a common understanding of the immediate threat posed by the DPRK during its period of political transition, on the significance of the coming political transition in China (including whatever the U.S. knows about the Bo Xilai demotion) and Japan's many territorial disputes with its neighbors. He would like to share a smile with the president over recent events in Myanmar/Burma and the SDF's deployment of a peace-keeping force to South Sudan. Noda would also likely like to sound out the president's view of the future of India-U.S. cooperation and mention the immense investments Japanese corporations will be making in that country's infrastructure and manufacturing base over the next decade.
As for the post-summit takeaway for the press corps, Noda will offer the image of Japan as a reliable U.S. ally in meeting the challenges of 1) a rising China's political and military might, 2) in combating human security challenges and terrorism and 3) global instability. He will likely have to admit that much of his time will be taken up putting Japan's domestic house in order. However, he will argue that a Japan with a more stable fiscal and political situation will be of the greatest benefit to the rest of the world.
By Michael Cucek
MIT Center for International Studies
This essay first appeared in the April 1, 2012 issue of the Asia Policy Calendar sent to APP members.
Labels: Cucek, Energy, Global Economy, Japan, US-Japan Alliance
Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule March 19-25
09:03 Mr. Maehara, chairperson of DPJ Policy Research Council
09:36 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
09:54 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Adachi, Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Takahara, Director-General, Agency for Natural resources and Energy; Mr. Fukano, Director-General of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency; Mr. Sengoku, DPJ Deputy Chair of Politicy Research Council
10:42 Mr. Adachi, Mr. Takahara, and Mr. Fukano leave
10:43 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, joins 11:03 Mr. Edano, Mr. Saito, Mr. Sengoku, leave
11:11 Mr. Yonemura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management; and Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
01:01 The Frontier Subcommittee of the Council on National Strategy and Policy – Frontier of Happiness Panel
03:23 Mr. Sonoda, Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet Office; and Mr. Shimizu, Councillor of Cabinet Office
04:01 Video Message Recording for Japan Professional Boxing Association
05:01 Reconstruction Promotion Committee
05:32 Meeting with Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao
06:00 Signing ceremony
06:03 Saw off Prime Minister Gusmao
06:07 Employment Strategy Dialogue
09:33 Imperial Palace, ceremony for spring equinox
01:30 Courtesy call from Governor Yuzaki of Hiroshima Prefecture and others
01:58 Press interviews
01:59 Interview ends
02:29 Conversation with Ms. Sawako Agawa, Writer
03:37 Meeting ends
03:38 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM; Mr. Bessho, Foreign Ministry councilor in charge of political affairs; and Mr. Fukano, Director-General of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
04:56 Meeting with Mr. Morihiro Hosokawa, former Prime Minsiter, and Mr. Akira Miyawaki, Professor Emeritus of Yokohama National School; Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, also attends
08:56 Imperial Palace, Welcome ceremony for Amir of Kuwaiti Sheikh Al-Sabah
05:17 Ministerial Council on Monthly Economic Report and Other Relative Issues
06:39 Banquet at the Imperial Palace for Amir of Kuwaiti Sheikh Al-Sabah
10:00 Mr. Taketoshi leaves
01:55 Mr. Kanazawa, Administrative Vice Minister of Defense
02:30 Conversation with participants of DPJ student internship program; Mr. Keisuke Tsumura, Director-General of Youth Agency, also attends
03:38 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Adachi, Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry
05:31 Welcome Amir of Kuwaiti Sheikh Al-Sabah, at the residence of PM; Photo shooting
05:34 Summit meeting with Sheikh Al-Sabah; Mr. Edano also attends
06:23 Dinner ceremony hosted by Prime Minister
07:25 Saw off Sheikh Al-Sabaha
06:33 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretar; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
08:53 Mr. Nakatsuka, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office / Senior Vice Minister for Reconstruction
08:56 Mr. Azumi, Minister of Finance
05:51 Joint Meeting of the Headquarters for Administrative Reform Implementation and the Headquarters to Promote Civil Service Reform
06:16 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office; and Mr. Nishi, Director-General of the Bureau of Defense Policy, Ministry of Defense; Mr. Kinomura, Chief of Defense In
06:30 Mr. Nishi and Mr. Kinomura leaves
Spent the morning at residence of PM
03:59 The First Gathering with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Hosted by Japan Akademeia, at Hotel the Prince Park Tower Tokyo, Shibakoen, Tokyo
05:52 Haircut at Ginza Matsunaga at Yaesu, Tokyo
March 25, 2012 (SUN)
11:31 Meeting with Prime Minister Harper of Canada
11:53 Luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Noda
01:17 Joint Press Statement
01:25 See off Prime Minister Harper at the PM residence entrance
02:00 Exchange opinions with members of the Frontier Subcommittee of the Council on National Strategy and Policy
03:29 The meeting adjourned
03:47 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Fukano, Director-General of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency; Mr. Bessho, Foreign Ministry councilor in charge of political affairs
04:31 Recording of video message for the Korean media on the Nuclear Summit
06:24 Dinner with Mr. Fujii, DPJ Head of Tax Research Commission; and Mr. Kaname Tajima, DPJ Lower House member, at the Japanese restaurant "Suiren" in the Capitol Hotel Tokyu
Labels: Canada, Kuwait, PMJ Schedule
Japan on human rights
Not so Shared Values: Japan distances itself from the US on Human Rights
The Sri Lankan government welcomed the Japanese declaration on March 13th (see video) that "no country has a perfect record on human rights." Although only an observer to the UN Human Rights Council, the Japanese government felt it important to speak out against the US-sponsored resolution "Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka" (A/HRC/19/L.2/Rev1).
The US introduced the resolution by saying that it "is not intended to condemn....[however] the government has not yet promulgated a credible action plan for implementation of those recommendations [toward peace] nor has it taken the additional needed steps since the war to foster national reconciliation....[the objective of the resolution is] to ensure accountability for actions taken during the war."
The resolution, opposed by Russia and China*, presses the Sri Lankan government to investigate the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in the final stages of the civil war with the Tamil Tigers. Passed March 22, it requires the United Nations high commissioner for human rights to report back next year on whether the government followed the council's recommendation, which many see as crucial to healing the divide between Sri Lanka and its minority Tamils.
For those interested in resolving lingering wartime justice and peace issues with Japan, the Japanese UNHRC statement is a stunning slap at contemporary efforts toward post-conflict reconciliation. Japan rejects essentially rejects today's norms of recognition of and accountability for war crimes. This is particularly troubling to the American POWs of Japan who are pressing on Japan and its companies to respect their human rights and to do more to show the sincerity of their apology.
In contrast, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released released a strong statement hours after the vote that the United States and the international community "had sent a strong signal that Sri Lanka will only achieve lasting peace through real reconciliation and accountability." More interesting, Secretary Clinton noted that Sri Lanka's commitment to the reconciliation process cements the "shared values" between the two countries.
Today's action by the UN Human Rights Council encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to continue on the path toward reconciliation following 27 years of civil war. The United States, together with the international community, sent a strong signal that Sri Lanka will only achieve lasting peace through real reconciliation and accountability, and the international community stands ready to help. The next steps are clear. We look to the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the constructive recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and take the necessary measures to address accountability. We are committed to working with the Sri Lankan Government to help realize this goal, and I look forward to discussing future actions with Foreign Minister Peiris soon. We will continue the productive working relationship we have with the Sri Lankan Government based on shared values, respect and constructive dialogue. Most important, we seek to strengthen our partnership with all the people of Sri Lanka.
The White House followed by saying:
The United States Government applauds today's passage of the UN Human Rights Council's resolution on "Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka." The resolution, which received broad support from around the world, calls for a range of critical steps that would go a long away to advancing the rights and dignity of the Sri Lankan people. The United States urges the Sri Lankan government to develop a comprehensive action plan for implementing steps on reconciliation and accountability, as called for in today's resolution, and to work with UN experts and its partners in the international community to take meaningful action to achieve these important goals, which will be a critical part of Sri Lanka's efforts to provide a bright, peaceful, and stable future for all of its people. We stand ready to partner with Sri Lanka in this important effort.
For their part, Sri Lankan officials retorted that "We hope those human rights champions will take note of the Japanese sentiment as laid out by Minister Sakashita Osamu of the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva:
No country has a perfect record on human rights, and countries need to be given time, space, encouragement, advice, and where appropriate, concrete assistance in order to overcome existing challenges. The political, socio-economic and cultural contexts of each country duly need to be considered when addressing human rights issues. Too often a false dichotomy is constructed between the universality of human rights per se and the particularity of specific human rights situations. Discussions, including those by this council, need to combine the two essential facets of human rights issues in a constructive manner.
Of the four Co-chairs to the failed Norway-led peace process for Sri Lanka, only Japan had objected to intervention. The other Co-chairs, the US, Norway and EU lambasted Sri Lanka, with UK's human rights minister, Jeremy Browne calling for UN intervention in Sri Lanka. With the exception of Japan, the allies believed it important to compel Sri Lanka to live up to its commitments to postwar reconciliation.
For those who say that the US-Japan Alliance is based on shared values, the Japanese objection to UN pressure on Sri Lanka to pursue meaningful postwar reconciliation is a contradiction, if not a set back. As with Sri Lanka, it is also important to the US that Japan develops a comprehensive action plan for implementing steps on postwar reconciliation and accountability. For the American POWs of Japan it is fundamental.
As Eileen Donahoe, the United States ambassador to the Human Rights Council, told the press after the vote:
Our view is that if there isn't some form of truth and accounting of these kind of mass-scale atrocities and casualties, you can't have lasting peace. You will sow the seeds of future violence. So we think it's important that they take steps to show there will be some form of truth and accountability.
This is true for any conflict, any country, and even any time. Seventy years later, Japan still has a lot to account for.
*Against (15): Bangladesh, China, Congo, Cuba, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritania, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Uganda.
Mindy Kotler
Director, Asia Policy Point
This essay first appeared in the Asia Policy Calendar of March 26th.
Labels: Human Rights, Japan, Sri Lanka, UN, US Foreign Policy, War Crimes
When Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Visits the Unit...


text:
Indian expats elated over PM Modi's upcoming Dubai speech
August 17, 2015 by sana
Abu Dhabi: The Indian community in the UAE is full of enthusiasm to see, hear and cheer Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he delivers his public address at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Undertaking a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the invitation of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Modi is set to address a 30,000-strong Indian expat crowd in the stadium.
Some Indian expatriates said celebrations here of India`s 69th Independence Day were special because "India`s leader Narendra Modi has graced it".
Indian consul general here Anurag Bhushan praised the efforts of the Indian community in the UAE who left no stone unturned efforts to make the event possible, Khaleej Times reported on Sunday.
"I hope everyone will come with the Indian national flag and celebrate in the spirit of brotherhood," Bhushan was quoted as saying.
Several people, who attended the Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, expected Modi to look into the plight of Indian labourers living in the UAE.
"The executives have done well for themselves. But it is the workers who need Modi`s support and encouragement," Dubai resident Amit Soni said.
Narendra Modi is the second Indian prime minister after Indira Gandhi who visited the UAE in 1981.
"We have high hopes from him because his plan of action and his forward thinking way of governance has been very beneficial for India. I hope he makes NRI voting a reality," another Dubai resident Vartika Singh said.
Meanwhile, many Indians living in different parts of the UAE will be travelling to Dubai to attend the programme, the daily said.
"I will be travelling to Dubai on Monday with a group of friends. I will miss four hours of work on that day but I don`t mind. I won`t get this opportunity again," Sharjah resident Dolly Gir said.
Some Indians said they were willing to skip work because meeting Modi was a "once in a lifetime event".
"It is like the cricket world cup all over again. I`ve been thinking of excuses on how to leave work early all week," said Vaibhav Raisinghani, an MBA student and Dubai resident.
There are an estimated 2.6 million Indian expatriates residing in the UAE.
Categories News, World Tags Dubai speech, India, Indian embassy, MP modi UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, United Arab Emirates, visit UAE
Mozilla launches pre-beta version of Firefox that blocks tracking tools
US hopefuls split on sending ground troops to Middle East

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
PHOTOGRAPHY SURVEYS | COLLECTIONS | MOVEMENTS | EXHIBITIONS
Hardcover, 13.5 x 9.75 in. / 144 pgs / 120 color & bw.
Views of Japan
Edited by Manfred Heiting. Text by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz.
Most collectors have their own unique attractions and approaches to the objects of their collecting. This volume features the adventures of Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck, two renowned filmmakers--with such writing credits as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and the original Star Wars and Mission Impossible--who began collecting Japanese photography more than a decade ago, and whose ongoing hunt seems indeed like a Hollywood movie. Since 2002, the Huycks have assembled an encyclopedic collection of images from the 19th century to the present, acquiring works by Nobuyoshi Araki, Hiroshi Hamaya, Eikoh Hosoe, Miyako Ishiuchi, Kikuji Kawada, Daido Moriyama, Ikko Narahara, Issei Suda, Shomei Tomatsu and Shoji Ueda.
A record of their love of Japanese photography and their experiences collecting it, Views of Japan makes available a selection of rare masterpieces from their extensive collection, along with a personal "script" recounting how they scouted, debated, selected and ultimately acquired many of the works. This was no small undertaking, considering the rarity of some of the images gathered in this volume--particularly those taken before the 1970s. The Huycks' collection was shaped into Views of Japan by Manfred Heiting, a designer and editor of photo publications including extensive surveys of German, Soviet and Japanese photobooks. The resulting volume is a distinctly personal presentation of one of the greatest private collections of Japanese photography in the world, and an accessible look at a practice long ignored by Western histories of photography.
Featured image is reproduced from 'Views of Japan.'
FORTHCOMING AND NEW: PHOTOGRAPHY
JAMEL SHABAZZ: ALBUMS
STEIDL/THE GORDON PARKS FOUNDATION
ARCHIVE OF MODERN CONFLICT/MöREL
Pub Date: 12/13/2022
THE SIR MARK FEHRS HAUKOHL COLLECTION OF EUROPEAN WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS 2000–2020
THE PLEASURE OF SEEING
EVENTS OF THE SOCIAL: PORTRAITURE AND COLLECTIVE AGENCY
STEIDL/THE WALTHER COLLECTION
AFRICA: DISCOVERING WILDLIFE PARKS
WORLD PRESS PHOTO YEARBOOK 2023
USD $180.00 | CAN $252
MEN LIKE HITLER
DREAMS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
RM/EDICIONES LARIVIERE
NORWEGIAN SCENIC ROUTES
FORMAT: Hbk, 13.5 x 9.75 in. / 144 pgs / 120 color & b&w.
LIST PRICE: CANADA $107.5
PUBLISHER: Steidl
Published by Steidl.


Fourth of July weekend created only the briefest window of time to make a still life due to home improvement projects. This is not your traditional red, white and blue but those colors are represented here nonetheless.
It was inspired by the beautiful silver set that was a wedding gift for my husband's parents, circa 1931. It had been buried away in a large china cabinet for years and came to light (literally) during our home improvement project. I set it up in my studio space and grabbed the vase (made by Nelson McCoy Pottery Co. in the 1940's) that was on the dining room table waiting for flowers.
Thank you's to my neighbor Lauri who shared her hydrangeas that contributed the finishing touch to this red, white and blue still life.


text:
1-30 of 66 results, sorted by relevance | sort by date
Needle-Exchange Pilot Stung by Prick
Bexar D.A. thumbs her nose at new law to reduce drug addiction and disease
"...The future of a state-approved anonymous needle-exchange pilot program is in the hands of Bexar Co...."
May 23, 2008 News Column by Jordan Smith
Needle-Exchange Bill Barely Hanging On
State Rep. Dianne White Delisi all but kills legislation that would let local health departments establish one-for-one anonymous needle-exchange programs
"...a local health department to establish a one-for-one anonymous hypodermic-needle-exchange program. Needle exchange is a harm-reduction program that seeks..."
May 25, 2007 News Feature by Jordan Smith
Needle Exchange Clears Committee
Needle-exchange program could finally see daylight
"...Deuell's bid to let local health departments establish anonymous hypo-needle-exchange programs (Senate Bill 188) made it out of the..."
March 13, 2009 News Feature by Jordan Smith
Legal Needle Exchange in Texas?
Senate approves SB 188
"...allow for, among other things, the legalization of certain needle exchange programs for drug addicts. Could Texas actually be..."
March 18, 2009 News Post by Lee Nichols
GOPers for Needle Exchanges
Needle exchange legislation passes through the Senate with a somewhat surprising sponsor.
"...that will allow Texas to finally start running a needle-exchange program finally passed through Senate Friday. Senate Bill 308..."
April 30, 2007 News Post by Richard Whittaker
Reefer Roundup: 3/3/11
Your drug war news for the week
"...Florida pot wars coming to SXSW, extending funding for needle exchange, limiting public assistance to people with substance abuse..."
March 3, 2011 SXSW Post by Jordan Smith
Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed Is Afraid of Needles
Bexar D.A. scuttles life-saving needle-exchange program
"...that she's single-handedly derailed the start of the confidential needle-exchange pilot program that state legislators passed this spring, with..."
Oct. 9, 2007 News Post by Jordan Smith
D.C. Harm Reduction Programs Get Cash Injection
"...in public money would be dedicated to fund anonymous needle exchange programs in the city, reports the Washington Post...."
Jan. 9, 2008 News Post by Jordan Smith
Off the Desk:
"...to urge the state and federal government to legalize needle exchange programs. And if logic were the rule, lifting..."
Sept. 26, 1997 News Feature
Harm Reduction Hits the Capitol
Bill seeks to bring needle exchange programs out of the shadows
"...A bill that would legalize the creation of municipal needle exchange programs is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow (Thursday,..."
April 11, 2007 News Post by Jordan Smith
Obama Afraid of Needles?
Pledge to lift ban on funding needle exchange disappears
"...pledge to lift a federal ban on funding for needle exchange. During the primary campaign Obama came out in..."
May 18, 2009 News Post by Jordan Smith
Doing Right on Drugs
A needle-exchange program moves toward a Senate vote
"...allow a local health department to establish an anonymous needle-exchange program. The idea is to reduce the spread of..."
April 20, 2007 News Column by Jordan Smith
The Growing Chorus
Sex, Drugs & Hepatitis C
"...were established threats, but no one knew that sharing needles to shoot drugs might lead to a potentially deadly..."
Aug. 21, 1998 Music Feature by Greg Beets
Reefer Roundup: 12/30/11
Your drug war news
"...on the rise among teens, federal lawmakers afraid of needles, the Adderall mafia, and Gary Johnson running for president...."
Dec. 30, 2011 News Post by Jordan Smith
Top 9 Joints
"...6) PRICKS KILL NEEDLES … AGAIN Once again, a bill that would let..."
Jan. 1, 2010 News Feature by Jordan Smith
Marijuana Coast to Coast
Hot pot news from California and Washington, D.C.
"...any of a series of social programs – including needle exchange and medi-mari laws...."
July 8, 2009 News Post by Jordan Smith
"...passage is SB 188, which would legalize anonymous one-for-one needle exchange. This is the fourth time that Sen. Robert..."
May 8, 2009 News Feature by Jordan Smith
Needles Move Out of Committee
Needle-exchange bill clears first hurdle
"...Sen. Robert Deuell's one-for-one anonymous needle-exchange bill (SB 188) made it out of the Senate's..."
March 4, 2009 News Post by Jordan Smith
Top 10 2007 Joints
"...9) Needle Exchange Gets Stuck She's not a doctor – nor,..."
Criminal Justice: From Headlines to Humane
"...for a proposal to create a legal, anonymous, one-for-one needle-exchange program in Texas. Senate Bill 308, shepherded passionately by..."
Deuell Not a Dim Bulb
"...allow communities, through their local health organizations, to provide needle-exchange programs. I wonder if your insightful columnist now has..."
About AIDS
"...Condoms and Needle Exchange in Prison?..."
Nov. 22, 2002 Column by Sandy Bartlett
Eye of the Tiger, baby! Are you up to it? Up to this week's public service challenges? Kate and the Pee En crew takes you there.
"...Breast Cancer Resource Center, and LN benefits Austin's Underground Needle Exchange. As Chronicle Books editor Clay Smith would say,..."
Nov. 10, 2000 Column by Kate X Messer
Two Texas Officials Win Drug Warrior Award
Nothing says progress like the status quo
"...Shapiro, for example, has voted against instituting one-for-one anonymous needle exchange in Texas each time it has come up..."
July 20, 2010 News Post by Jordan Smith
Put that in your pipe and smoke it
"...4) Scared of Needles Two years after the federal ban was lifted, congressional..."
This Way to the Big Top!
From budget disaster to hysterical bloodletting, the legislative circus is back in town
"...and regional transportation efforts, social services, and public libraries. Needless to say, with the deficit first and foremost in..."
Jan. 14, 2011 News Feature by Richard Whittaker
Reefer Roundup 1/12/11
News from the War on Drugs – Pat Robertson says legalize it?
"...a handful of smart-on-drugs proposals (like Rep. Ruth McClendon's needle exchange bill – you can read more about that..."
Jan. 12, 2011 News Post by Jordan Smith
Reefer Madness: Opiate Overdoses on the Rise
Heroin and prescription drugs claiming lives
"...this argument year after year in opposition to legalizing needle exchange, another cost-effective way to reduce drug-related harm to..."
Dec. 17, 2010 News Column by Jordan Smith
Drug Budget
What does Obama's new drug budget say about his administration's priorities?
"...significant." Obama has made clear his support for funding needle exchange programs, which help reduce the spread of diseases..."
March 5, 2010 News Column by Jordan Smith
Reefer Madness: Kicking the Drug War Habit
More of the same under Obama's new drug czar?
"...to different ways of doing things – he'd accepted needle exchange in Seattle and duly implemented the city's policy..."
Oct. 2, 2009 News Column by Jordan Smith
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...and 2009 will be over. Huh? The last 5 weeks of this year will be very busy for us. One of the companies I work for has an ongoing project and I don't know how much more will be released. Since it came out around the Thanksgiving holiday, there's only a few of us who worked. By the looks of it, that will be the norm since it won't be long and the holiday rush will commence.
The husband is also very busy at work. He now has to work on Saturdays as well to be able to finish some jobs. They even had to hire some extra people to help them out to finish the job which is great. It's all good since they've been idle for a few months but the timing is just not the best. I'm pretty sure they will be working through the holidays as well. Not fun but they have to do what they have to do. Who am I to complain, right? We're still very lucky compared to a lot of people out there. Just having a job during this difficult economic time is something to be thankful for.
hay ganun talaga. ako din e. sabi nga. the only way to appreciate your work is to imagine the time when you have none. or something. LOL.
Jules, i agree with you; it is better to work till Saturday than not having a work. Hubby works night shift and every other Saturday, it was a hard work sched for him, but we can't complain.
ganun nga yata talaga. buti nga may trabaho di ba? huwag lang masyadong ma -stress.
eto nga and I'm back to normal with my routine na ulit. one week lang off pero nakakapanibago. it was raining all day yesterday kaya I was way off with my errands. before I knew it ang dilim na.
I have this nagging headache since last night.I woke up with it too kaya I just logged in just now. it's really annoying.
dropping by to wave at you hahaha.
Lots of work equals lots of money! Wag lang sobrahan at baka matabunan ng pera, mahirap din! he he..
umulan dito last night and this morning. dry yata kami this weekend but it will be really frigid. right now, we're in the 60's. grabe ang weather napaka- fickle minded hahaha.
Good to know that both you and the Husband are busy at work. You are blessed to have those jobs, unlike some. And yes, having a job in this financial crunch is indeed something to be thankful for!
Say Hi! to your little Taylor Swift-in the making!


text:
THE OLD FAITHFUL SAGA by Ramond Z. Gallun
The Classic SF Saga—First Time Ever in Book Form!
When Nebula Nominee Ray Gallun's short novel "Old Faithful" was first published in the December 1934 Astounding Stories, it was instantly recognized as a classic. Gallun's sympathetic portrayal of a very alien being has since become one of the most beloved and reprinted science fiction stories of all time, and has appeared in such anthologies as Imagination Unlimited; Science Fiction: The Great Years, Before the Golden Age; The Best of Raymond Z. Gallun; The Analog Anthology #2: Readers' Choice; Gosh!Wow! (Sense of Wonder) Science Fiction, and dozens of others around the world.
Reader reaction at the time was so strong, sequels were demanded of "Old Faithful's" author, and he finally penned two further short novels, which together with the first constituted a tightly-plotted trilogy. The first had told the story of a strange, tentacled, but sympathetically conceived, alien, Old Faithful, who was supported in his rebellion against a rigid society by friends from Earth. The sequel (1935) featured "The Son of Old Faithful," who races to our world to help his father's friends forestall imminent invasion by his world's autocratic regime. In 1936's "Child of the Stars," the concluding installment of the trilogy, Old Faithful's son and the young daughter of his Earth friends work against impossible odds to prevent a clash between their two planets.


The company JOHN PFROMMER, LLC is registered on 1/20/2000. DOS number of the company 2463565. Current status of the organization Active. Postal address of the company JOHN PFROMMER, LLC - 2758 TROMBLEY ROAD, P.O. BOX 920, WEEDSPORT, NEW YORK, 13166. The credit report for the company JOHN PFROMMER, LLC.


text:
Risk of meticillin...
Risk of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile in patients with a documented penicillin allergy: population based matched cohort study
CCBYNC Open access
BMJ 2018; 361 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2400 (Published 27 June 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;361:k2400
The problem extends beyond MRSA and Clostridium difficile , and stewardship should still be followed in the presence or absence of penicillin allergy.
We commend the research study of Blumenthal et al. Any scientific evidence that identifies risk factors for the emergence of alert organisms will assist in optimizing use of antimicrobials and enhance antimicrobial stewardship.
We also wish to make a number of observations:
It is imperative that the nature of the allergy is elucidated and that it is confirmed whether it is genuine or not. As by doing so this would reduce the number of patients who are deprived from this effective and relatively safe group of antimicrobials as a result of false documentation of penicillin allergy (1,2).
Another equally important clinical governance matter is that once the documented allergy to penicillin is confirmed to be unfounded then the records should be corrected accordingly otherwise the patient will continue to be considered as Penicillin allergic whenever he/she seek healthcare intervention in future.
The problem of allergy to penicillin and hence the inevitable use of antimicrobials that are more likely to lead to the emergence of MRSA and Clostridium difficile particularly Cephalosporins and Clindamycin means that there is also the risk of emergence of other multi-drug resistant organisms such as Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) Producing organisms, Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriacea (CPE) and Glycopeptide-Resistant Enterococci (GRE) (3,4,5).
The study eloquently has shown that as a result of penicillin allergy alternative antimicrobials which were more likely to induce collateral damage have led to a higher rate of emergence of MRSA and Clostridium dificile. But then even when alternative antimicrobials have to be used with genuine penicillin allergy the principle of antimicrobial stewardship still has to be followed.
It would therefore be helpful to conduct a further study to establish whether there was a difference in the emergence of alert organisms between General Practices that have adhered to antimicrobial stewardship and those that haven't when treating patients who were labelled as allergic to penicillin.
1.	https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4794183/
2.	https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2635155
5.	https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/48/4/463/700308
Walid Al-Wali
Consultant Medical Microbiologist and former Medical Director
Sanjay Doiphode,Consultant Microbiologist, Hamad General Hospital,Manal Hamed,Specialist Microbiologist,Al-Wakra Hospital,Anand Deshmukh,Specialist Microbiologist,Hamad General Hospital
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology,Hamad General Hospital,Hamad Medical Corporation,PO Box 3050,Doha,Qatar.
Section of Medical Microbiology,Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box:3050,Doha,Qatar
Penicillin allergy assessment: make good use of your pharmacists
I read with interest the article by Blumenthal et al. and agree that penicillin allergy needs to be systematically addressed.[1] However, I am worried it would be impractical for physicians to perform comprehensive allergy assessments in addition to their usual duties. For instance, 87% of British general practice trainee agree that the 10-minute consultation time is insufficient.[2] One general practitioner even faced disciplinary hearings for extending some of his appointment slots to 20 minutes.[3] Similarly, there are often rota gaps in the NHS hospitals that require physicians to perform more than their usual duties.[4] Some established allergy assessment methods, such as Naranjo algorithm,[5] are time-consuming that would add extra workload to physicians.
If a patient's main reason for visit is not penicillin allergy reaction, an allergy assessment may end up in the bottom of physicians' priority lists. A study showed that about 36% of patients' adverse drug reactions were inadequately documented during hospital admission.[6] When work is busy, the word "prioritise" could be used as a trump card to not perform a less needed task.[7] For instance, I cannot imagine a surgeon being very happy if trainees spend most of the time assessing patients' allergies rather than discussing the surgical issues.[8] Their best time-saving solution may be simply prescribing an alternative antibiotic.
A better solution is to delegate the duty of allergy assessment to clinical pharmacists. Being an ex-pharmacist myself, I know plenty of pharmacists who would love to be more involved in patients' therapeutic management.[9] Pharmacist involvement has been shown to improve allergy documentation.[6] Many NHS primary care services are now providing pharmacist support for physicians and patients.[10] I would like to suggest physicians to make good use of pharmacists to perform allergy assessments, which are important for patient safety.
[1] Blumenthal, K.G.; Lu, N.; Zhang, Y.; Li, Y.; Walensky, R.P.; Choi, H.K. Risk of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile in patients with a documented penicillin allergy: population based matched cohort study. BMJ 2018, 361, k2400, 10.1136/bmj.k2400.
[2] Irving, G.; Holden, J. Calling time on the 10-minute consultation. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 2012, 62, 238-239, 10.3399/bjgp12X641375.
[3] Dyer, C. GP who deleted appointment slots to ease workload pressure is spared punishment. BMJ 2017, 358, j4141, 10.1136/bmj.j4141.
[4] Oliver, D. David Oliver: "Ghost wards" and rota gaps show the need for official safe staffing levels. BMJ 2018, 361, k2322, 10.1136/bmj.k2322.
[5] Naranjo, C.A.; Busto, U.; Sellers, E.M.; Sandor, P.; Ruiz, I.; Roberts, E.A.; Janecek, E.; Domecq, C.; Greenblatt, D.J. A method for estimating the probability of adverse drug reactions. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 1981, 30, 239-245, 10.1038/clpt.1981.154.
[6] Yeung, E.Y.H. Adverse drug reactions: a potential role for pharmacists. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 2015, 65, 511, 10.3399/bjgp15X686821.
[7] Yeung, E.Y. When the words 'handover' and 'prioritise' are overused. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 2017, 67, 300, 10.3399/bjgp17X691649.
[8] Goh, S. Communicating effectively by lamenting the issues correctly. https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1704/rr-3 (accessed Jul 3, 2018).
[9] Yeung, E.Y.H. Explaining the role of pharmacists in multidisciplinary care. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 2017, 67, 447-448, 10.3399/bjgp17X692753.
[10] Deeks, L.S.; Naunton, M.; Kosari, S. Pharmacists' perceptions of their emerging general practice roles in UK primary care: a qualitative interview study. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 2017, 67, 396-396, 10.3399/bjgp17X692237.
Competing interests: I have been paid for working as a physician and pharmacist, but not for writing this letter.
Eugene Y.H. Yeung
Lancaster, UK
Data supplement
Kimberly G Blumenthal assistant professor of medicine, Na Lu biostatistician, Yuqing Zhang professor of medicine, Yu Li research assistant, Rochelle P Walensky professor of medicine, Hyon K Choi professor of medicine et al
Blumenthal Kimberly G, Lu Na, Zhang Yuqing, Li Yu, Walensky Rochelle P, Choi Hyon K et al. Risk of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile in patients with a documented penicillin allergy: population based matched cohort study BMJ 2018; 361 :k2400
Articles by Kimberly G Blumenthal
Articles by Na Lu
Articles by Yuqing Zhang
Articles by Yu Li
Articles by Rochelle P Walensky
Articles by Hyon K Choi
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