2024年3月15日(金)
東京都庁にプロジェクションマッピング
TOKYO GOES BIG ON PROJECTION MAPPING
2024年2月26日のニュース
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wow factor「『わあ』（と人を驚かせるような）要素」
come sundown「日没が来ると、日没が来るや」
scream「叫ぶ、叫び声を上げる」=> ここでは「とても目立つ、（見た目からして）主張する、迫力がある」といった意味
- The movie poster's design screams B movie. いかにもＢ級映画という感じがする
- Nothing screams spring like a picnic under the cherry blossoms.
...ほど春を感じさせるものはない
quite like ...「（まったく）～のように、～ほど」
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Many buildings in Tokyo have plenty of wow factor. But come sundown, few scream “Look at me!” quite like one skyscraper in Shinjuku.
The Metropolitan Government Building is now the largest permanent projection mapping display in the world. Shows kicked off on Sunday and run five times per night from 7 p.m. They feature everything from Japanese culture and traditional arts to some of the capital's other landmarks.
The project has been certified by Guinness World Records. And Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko says she hopes it becomes a new tourist attraction.
The shows run for about 10 to 15 minutes, with different themes on weekdays and weekends and holidays.
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Few buildings in Tokyo scream “Look at me!” quite like one skyscraper in Shinjuku.
quite like ...「（まったく）～のように、～ほど」
Few buildings in Tokyo
scream “Look at me!”
quite like one skyscraper in Shinjuku.
=>
A few buildings in Tokyo
scream “Look at me!”
quite like one skyscraper in Shinjuku.
★fewとa few
・few 数が「わずか」しかない（こと）
・a few 数が「わずか」だがある（こと）
Few buildings in Tokyo scream “Look at me!” quite like one skyscraper in Shinjuku. あまりない: few <> many
A few buildings in Tokyo scream “Look at me!” quite like one skyscraper in Shinjuku. わずかは : a few＝ ある
Few students passed the test.
「わずかな生徒しか、そのテストに受からなかった。」
Well, I've been to a few projection mapping shows and everytime I walk away amazed. It's cool that classic sightseeing spots are embracing a new dimension. After all, a few things can enhance the wow factor like projection mappings' unique fusion of artistry technology and dazzling lights.
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2024年3月14日(木)
肥満症の新治療薬 処方始まる
IN-DEMAND OBESITY DRUG GOES ON SALE IN JAPAN
2024年2月22日のニュース
Doctors here in Japan have started prescribing a new weight-loss drug to patients who suffer from obesity. But there are concerns people could use it for cosmetic purposes, making it harder for those who need it to get access.
This woman regularly meets a doctor to treat her obesity.
(Ono Hiraku / Associate Professor, Chiba University Hospital)
“A new medicine called Wegovy went on sale today. So let's give it a try.”
The drug was developed by Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk. Its active ingredient, semaglutide, mimics the effects of an appetite-regulating hormone.
Japan's public health insurance system covers the use of Wegovy for patients diagnosed with obesity, as well as high blood pressure and other symptoms. But a growing number of people are turning to diabetes drugs containing semaglutide for cosmetic purposes. Experts say using the medicine without doctor supervision can be dangerous.
2024年3月13日(水)
フィリピン大統領 民主化記念日を中止
MANILA RALLY PROTESTS SCRAPPING OF PEOPLE POWER HOLIDAY
2024年2月25日のニュース
Sunday marks the 38th anniversary of the People Power movement that ousted President Ferdinand Marcos. But protesters in Manila are accusing the Philippine government of trying to cover up the history of the dictatorship.
February 25 had been a national holiday, but the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., dropped the holiday this year in a presidential proclamation. Civic groups held a rally in Manila on Sunday. They criticized the decision to scrap the holiday, calling it an attempt to revise history.
(18-year-old high school student)
“It's sad because the government are trying to revision or ... to destroy our history.”
Organizers showed videos of the pro-democracy movement, and people mourned the victims of the dictatorship.
2024年3月12日(火)
“脳でマウスを操作” マスク氏が挑戦
MUSK: BRAIN CHIP ALLOWS MIND TO CONTROL COMPUTER MOUSE
2024年2月21日のニュース
U.S. entrepreneur Elon Musk says a patient who received a brain-chip implant by a firm he co-founded is able to control a computer mouse using just their thoughts.
Musk said last month his startup Neuralink had implanted a brain chip in a human for the first time. Musk said in an online event Monday the patient seems to have made a full recovery and “is able to control the mouse, move the mouse around the screen just by thinking.”
Some U.S. media outlets are reporting no videos or other objective evidence have been presented and academic studies and other types of third-party verification have not been completed.
Universities and businesses are researching brain-computer interface technology to enable people with physical disabilities to control computers by thought.
2024年3月11日(月)
スウェーデン ＮＡＴＯ加盟決定
SWEDEN CLEARS FINAL HURDLE TO NATO
2024年2月27日のニュース
学習ポイント
NATO leaders have seen their efforts to expand their ranks and isolate Russia held up by some of their own. They'd opened the door to Finland but found the way blocked for Sweden. Now they've heard the last members of their alliance give their consent.
Leaders in Hungary had promised repeatedly that they would not be the last holdouts. And Prime Minister Viktor Orban had faced pressure from others in NATO to approve the bid. He came under more last month when members of the Turkish parliament ratified Sweden's request. Finally, he asked lawmakers to fall in line.
Leaders in Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO at the same time. But the Swedes saw their bid drag on for more than 18 months. Then, last week, they agreed to sell Hungary four fighter jets.
(Ulf Kristersson / Swedish Prime Minister)
“Sweden is leaving 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment behind. It is a big step. We must take that seriously.”
2024年3月8日(金)
「ゴジラ－１.０」山崎貴監督がＬＡで講演
GODZILLA MINUS ONE' DIRECTOR APPEARS ON HOLLYWOOD PANEL
2024年2月17日のニュース
--
Quiet on the set! Lights camera action.
---
blockbuster
「大ヒット作、興行的に大きな成功を収めた（映画や本などの）作品」
the making of ...「～の制作、～作り」
～の部分に人が入ると、「（その人の）成長や成功の要因」
Her time studying abroad was the making of her.
「海外留学生活が彼女の成功の要因となった」
go on a rampageは「大暴れする、荒れ狂う」
in the aftermath of ...は「～の直後（の時期）に」
bewildermentは「困惑、混乱」
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Ahead of this year's Academy Awards ceremony, the Japanese director of the blockbuster movie “Godzilla Minus One” has spoken about the making of the movie.
The film tells the story of Godzilla as it goes on a rampage in the aftermath of World War II. The movie has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
During a panel discussion in Hollywood, director Yamazaki Takashi explained his amazement at his Oscar nomination.
(Yamazaki Takashi / Film director)
“The nomination left me with a feeling of happy bewilderment. If someone had told me I was dreaming, I would have answered I thought so too.”
Yamazaki told the audience that he had a small set, which he then expanded using digital technology. He said the Oscar nomination is probably acknowledgment for his producing so much on a limited budget.
---
If someone had told me I was dreaming, I would have answered I thought so too.
If someone had told me I was dreaming,
I would have answered
I thought so too.
----
★「もしも（あのときに）～していたら～していただろう」
- If someone tells me (that) I am dreaming, I will answer (that) I think so too.
- 仮定法過去：「もしも（今）～したとしたら、～するだろう」
If someone told me (that) I was dreaming, I would answer (that) I thought so too.
- 仮定法過去完了：「もしも（過去に）～していたとしたら、～していただろう」
“If someone had told me I was dreaming, I would have answered I thought so too.”
Oh, yeah, Godzilla is supper popular it's so popular in fac that you can put hyphed -zilla after a noun or something to make it to get seem super scery.
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2024年3月7日(木)
中国への直接投資 ３０年ぶりの低水準
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN CHINA PLUNGES TO 30-YEAR LOW
2024年2月19日のニュース
In more bad news for China's economy, foreign direct investment in the country tumbled to a 30-year low in 2023. The figures released on Sunday indicate foreign companies are increasingly worried about the outlook for the world's second-biggest economy.
China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange says foreign direct investment fell to 33 billion dollars, down 82 percent from the previous year. The number dropped for the second straight year to the lowest since 1993.
The clouds over China's economy include debt-ridden real estate developers and the trade conflicts with the U.S., including over advanced semiconductors. Enforcement of China's revised anti-espionage law and its possible effect on businesses also appear to have discouraged investment from overseas.
2024年3月6日(水)
生鮮食品の海上輸送に新技術
NEW TECH CAN KEEP PERISHABLE FOOD FRESH FOR LONGER
2024年2月19日のニュース
Major Japanese trading house Sumitomo is set to introduce new container technology that keeps perishable food fresh for a longer time. The innovation is timely, as many shipping firms are taking lengthy diversions to avoid the Red Sea due to attacks on vessels.
The technology creates an electric field inside temperature-controlled containers. That causes water molecules in the food to move and slows down the process of decay.
Sumitomo says transportation times can be doubled or even tripled for many foodstuffs. Sumitomo plans to tie up with Hong Kong-based shipping firm Orient Overseas Container Line for the world's first commercial application of the technology.
The Japanese company also says the service can help curb rising shipping costs.
2024年3月5日(火)
Ｈ３ロケット２号機 打ち上げ成功
JAXA CONFIRMS SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF FLAGSHIP H3 ROCKET
2024年2月17日のニュース
Japan's space agency JAXA has confirmed that its new H3 rocket has successfully entered orbit.
The flagship rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima on Saturday morning. Officials at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency say the craft reached its planned orbit less than 20 minutes later. This is the second launch of an H3 rocket. The first attempt last March was aborted after its second-stage engine failed to ignite.
In a news conference, JAXA President Yamakawa Hiroshi said he couldn't be happier or more relieved. He said he truly appreciates the efforts of everyone involved.
Project manager Okada Masashi said Saturday's results prove the launch was clearly a success. He described it as a perfect score. Okada said the H3 rocket has only been launched twice and that the real challenge is only now about to begin.
2024年3月4日(月)
ロシア ナワリヌイ氏死亡
SPECULATION ABOUT NAVALNY CAUSE OF DEATH
2024年2月20日のニュース
The death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has many in the country demanding to know the circumstances. Navalny was an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin.
Russian authorities announced on Friday that Navalny had died in the prison colony where he was serving his sentence, but gave no details about the cause of death.
Navalny's support group says his mother and lawyer were told by the prison that the cause was “sudden death syndrome.” But his mother has not been allowed to see the body. Investigators reportedly told her it will take 14 days to complete tests on the body.
The independent Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta Europe, quotes another inmate as saying a “mysterious commotion” broke out on Thursday evening, then security was tightened, and vehicles could be heard driving into the compound.
A Russian human rights group says that as of noon on Monday, over 50,000 people had called for investigators to release Navalny's body to his family.
ーーー
2024年3月1日(金)
野球と日系人の歴史考える講演会
HISTORIAN: BASEBALL CREATED 'BRIDGE ACROSS THE PACIFIC'
2024年2月11日のニュース
interned in ... に強制収容された
internは「抑留する、（強制）収容する」拘禁する, 抑留する
barbed とげのある wire
executive
[ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv]
ancestry > ancestor
issuance > issue
ｰｰｰ
A baseball historian is hoping to increase awareness of how Japanese Americans interned in the U.S. during World War II opened up a “bridge across the Pacific.”
Kerry Yo Nakagawa has documented how detainees of Japanese origin played baseball at their internment camps. He gave a lecture in California nine days before the 82nd anniversary of the issuance of an executive order by then-U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt.
The directive led to the internment of about 120,000 individuals deemed “alien enemies,” including people of Japanese ancestry. He explained that there was a time when people of Japanese descent were not allowed to play for Major League teams.
(Kerry Yo Nakagawa / Founder and Director, Nisei Baseball Research Project)
“What if Ohtani-san, Murakami-san, Nomo, Ichiro, Yamamoto-san, now with the Dodgers, could only play baseball behind barbed wire and only for their community? Wouldn't that be a tragedy?”
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What if Ohtani-san, Murakami-san, Nomo, Ichiro, Yamamoto-san, now with the Dodgers, could only play baseball behind barbed wire?
What if Ohtani-san, Murakami-san, Nomo, Ichiro,
Yamamoto-san, now with the Dodgers,
could only play baseball behind barbed wire?
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★link toとlink withの違い
a potential link with oxytocin オキシトシンとのあるかもしれない関連性
certain genes linked to hair growth 毛の成長に関連した
link to
何かが何か「に」つながる、一方的な関係で、物理的でストレートなつながりを示すことが多い。
link with
何かが何か「と」つながるという、互いに関わり合う複雑なつながり
ｰｰｰ
A bridge across the Pacific.
I'm with you. For me it's a real privilege to be here and see how you work to be that bridge.
---
2024年2月29日(木)
小澤征爾さん死去
MAESTRO OZAWA SEIJI DIES AT 88
2024年2月9日のニュース
We begin with sad news about a world-renowned maestro. Ozawa Seiji has died of heart failure at his home in Tokyo. He was 88.
Ozawa was born in 1935 in northeastern China, then called Manchuria. He began to play the piano as an elementary school student. Later, he entered the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo and learned conducting. In his 20s, he studied under two legendary conductors, Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein.
Ozawa served as the musical director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 29 years. He also assumed the same position at the Vienna State Opera. Across the decades, he continued to conduct for renowned orchestras worldwide.
Ozawa had performed on and off since undergoing surgery for esophageal cancer in 2010. Still, he continued to pour his energy into fostering young musicians.
2024年2月28日(水)
ゼレンスキー大統領 軍総司令官を解任
ZELENSKYY REPLACES TOP GENERAL
2024年2月9日のニュース
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had spoken of his intention to “reset” the “direction of Ukraine's leadership.” Now he says it's time for someone new to head the war effort against Russia.
Zelenskyy posted on social media his gratitude to General Valerii Zaluzhnyi for two years of service as commander-in-chief.
(Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Ukrainian President)
“We proved that we can regain control over the Ukrainian sky. Unfortunately, we could not achieve the goals of our state on the ground.”
He says troops need a “different approach” toward mobilization and recruitment in order to overcome a feeling of “stagnation.” The new military chief is Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi. He had commanded the ground forces since 2019.
The change comes as Ukrainian forces are running out of ammunition and soldiers on the front line. They're struggling to push back Russian troops in the face of intensifying ground battles in the east.
2024年2月27日(火)
能登町でボランティア活動開始
VOLUNTEERS ALLOWED INTO QUAKE-HIT NOTO TOWN
2024年2月8日のニュース
In Japan, volunteers have begun helping people in the Ishikawa Prefecture town of Noto, which suffered heavy damage from the powerful earthquake on New Year's Day.
Ishikawa Prefecture has been sending volunteers to quake-hit areas, including the cities of Nanao and Suzu, since January 27. But Noto had been unable to accept volunteers until now, in part due to the lack of running water and safe accommodation.
The town is limiting volunteer activities to those who can make day trips. Eleven people who had registered with the prefecture arrived in Noto on Thursday morning. They quickly headed to their designated places after being given shovels, gloves, and other equipment for removing quake debris.
(Volunteer)
“When it rained heavily in the area where I live, many people came and helped us. I want to return the favor.”
(Shoji Yoshihiro / Noto Town volunteer center leader)
“I think their help will be a light of hope for the townspeople.”
2024年2月26日(月)
株価 ３４年ぶりの高値更新
NIKKEI 225 STOCK INDEX SETS NEW 34-YEAR HIGH
Tokyo's benchmark stock index hit a new 34-year high for the second straight day on Friday. This came after New York's Dow Jones Industrial Average set record highs for two consecutive days.
The Nikkei 225 ended the day at 36,897, up 0.1 percent from Thursday. It briefly topped the 37,000 mark for the first time since February 1990. Export-related shares such as semiconductors led the gainers as the yen weakened against the dollar.
The Nikkei index has surged 10 percent since the beginning of the year as foreign investors pick up Japanese shares. Analysts say such investors are buying into the view that Japan's economy and businesses are poised for new growth. This view is also attracting funds from China's markets, where the economy is slowing.