DI improves for seven consecutive month in Kansai : BOJ survey
The Osaka Branch of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has released the results of its "tankan" quarterly survey of business sentiment in September for the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Shiga and Wakayama prefectures). The diffusion index (DI) -the percentage of companies that feel business is favorable minus those that feel it is unfavorable -for all industries in the region improved by 3 points since the June survey to minus 19 to post rises for the seventh consecutive month.The DI for the manufacturing sector was 3 points to minus 12, also for a seventh consecutive recovery, while the non-manufacturing sector rose 2 points to minus 26 for a sixth consecutive improvement.
In the manufacturing sector, major companies improved 9 points to plus 7 to post the first plus in three years. Electric machinery and general machinery registered plus, spurred by robust performances in information technology (IT)-related businesses. Paper-pulp and raw materials such as iron-steel continued to enjoy brisk business.
New absorbent removing harmful chemicals
The Osaka Municipal Technical Research Institute has developed a new absorbent which, by using textile wastes, removes harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A. Bisphenol A is said to have the potential to disrupt internal secretion of living matters.The newly developed absorbent is a fibrous carbonized matter which is produced through the carbonization of cotton and other textile wastes activated with steam. (The carbonized matter is allowed to react with steam at 900 degrees C. in order to produce micropores in the carbon.)
The Osaka Municipal Technical Research Institute has confirmed that the new adsorbent efficiently absorbs bisphonel A, nonylphenol and other potentially endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Previously, there was no technology which can effectively remove endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and most textile wastes were disposed of without being recycled. These were the main factors which prompted the institute to develop an absorbent from textile wastes for use in the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
International space science forum in Mie
Mie Prefecture will host an international space science forum November 11-12 to promote the advent of a space science development era. The two-day forum, officially called "International Space Science Forum in Mie 2000," will consist of two parts.Part I (Nov. 11), to be held at Yokkaichi Bunka Kaikan under the auspices of the International Space Science Forum Mie 2000 Organizing Committee, will be "Eugene A. Cernan World" featuring U.S. astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, who, as the skipper of the spaceship Apollo 17, became the first man to land on the moon. Cernan will recount his space odyssey in his keynote lecture. A panel discussion is also scheduled with scientists from the U.S. National Astronautics and Space Agency taking part.
Part II will be the ISS International Symposium Space Science to be held at Mie University in Tsu City under the auspices ofthe Mie University Organizing Committee for the ISS International Symposium Space Science.
Under the theme "The Past, Present and Future of Space Development," the symposium will offer, among others, lectures by NASA space scientist Fred S. Wojtalik and Japanese space scientist Yasunori Matogawa, who serves as professor at the Space Science Institute.
Information Service Day for Foreigners
Lawyers, medical doctors, teachers, accountants and local government officials will give advice for foreigners on the "Information Service Day for Foreigners" scheduled for October 15 at the Osaka International House in Tennoji Ward.The forthcoming "Information Service Day" will be the ninth to be held in Osaka since the first one was held in Osaka in 1995. The last one was held in May this year.
The "Information Service Day for Foreigners," sponsored by the Liaison Committee for Making Osaka Friendly to Foreigners, is aimed at helping foreigners residing in Osaka who have problems or feel inconveniences in their daily lives and making Osaka more friendly to them.
The Information Service Day offers advice on 12 fields, including legal matters, immigration, education, medical services and taxation, in nine languages -English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
During the day, telephones will be installed at the International House so that visitors will be able to place international calls to their home countries, free of charge.
International art forum in Nara's Murou Village
Murou Village in Nara Prefecture will host an international art forum at the Keiunden (guest house) of the Muroji Temple on October 27. The "Murou Art Arcadia International Forum" will be held as an event celebrating the completion of reconstruction of the five-storied pagoda which was damaged by a typhoon several years ago. The forum is aimed at offering an opportunity to think about and discuss nature, history and art in the 21st century.Murou Village is currently developing an "Art Arcadia Plan" aimed at establishing a 21st century Arcadia. Among projects considered for the Arcadia is the establishment of a park to be designed by world-renowned Israeli-born artist Dani Karavan.
Among the guest speakers will be Karavan himself and London-born architectural critic Deyan Sudjic. They will have exchanges with members of the audience under such themes as "Dialogue with Nature," and "Fusion of Culture with Historical Climate."
Joint Ninja festivals in Mie and Shiga
The Mie and Shiga prefectural governments will host Ninja festivals in Iga (Mie Prefecture) and Koga (Shiga Prefecture) from late October to mid-November to jointly promote Ninja villages. The Iga and Koga provinces are known as the birthplaces of ninjutsu (art of Ninja).The Koga Ninja Festa will be held at Konan Town, Shiga Prefecture, on October 29, which will offer visitors an opportunity to learn ninjutsu and engage in a mock Ninja battle. A quiz show on Ninja will also be held.
The Iga Ninja Festa will be held at Ueno City, Mie Prefecture, on November 19, to be featured by a symposium on Iga-Koga Ninjas. Scholars and amateur experts on Ninja will report on the result of their studies. Ueno City, together with Iga Town, will also hold a quiz show on Ninja on November 11 and show a Ninja film on November 18.
Kansai in Focus: Once-robust public gambling in Kansai in jeopardy
Recession is taking its toll on public gambling in Kansai. Revenues from bicycle races, horse races and speedboat races in fiscal 1999 all fell from the previous year due to a decrease in the number of spectators and in the amount of money spent by each spectator. This has cut into their contributions to the coffers of local governments. Already some local governments and organizations are considering withdrawing from public gambling.According to surveys by local governments concerned, fiscal 1999 revenues from the Sonoda-Himeji horse races, jointly sponsored by the Hyogo prefectural government, Amagasaki city office and Himeji city office, were down 9.8 percent to about 65 billion yen; those from Otsu City's Lake Biwa bicycle races were down 16.8 percent to about 40.4 billion yen; those from the Nara Prefecture's bicycle races were down 10.5 percent to 18.1 billion yen; and those from Wakayama Prefecture's prefectural horse races were down 22.4 percent to about 11.7 billion yen.
The Nishinomiya and Koshien bicycle races, jointly sponsored by 19 cities, including Nishinomiya and Amagasaki, and one town, boosted their revenues by 52.3 percent to 75.4 billion yen. But the increase was attributed to the fact that the races were held specially for 1999. Furthermore, the revenues were below the initial target. The number of spectators at Mukou City's Mukou-machi and Lake Biwa bicycle races declined 2.5 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, and the amount of money spent by each spectator in the races slipped 5 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively, allegedly because of a decline in disposable income and the aging of the spectators.
Contributions to the general account budget from public gambling earnings in the seven prefectures in Kansai in fiscal 1999 were half that of the previous year, adding to their financial woes.
Nine of the 15 autonomous bodies in Kansai sponsoring public gambling expect to increase gambling revenues, but they are unlikely to achieve the targets. Budgetary contributions from the Nishinomiya and Koshien bicycle races are expected to be zero for fiscal 2000. Similar contributions in fiscal 2000 in seven local autonomous bodies, including Shiga Prefecture which sponsors the Lake Biwa speedboat races and Minou City, Osaka Prefecture, which sponsors the Suminoe speedboat races, are expected to fall from the fiscal 1999 level.
All sponsors of public gambling are doing all they can to prevent a further reduction in the number of spectators, while pushing for a restructuring of their operations. Yet, there is no turnaround in sight. In particular, the fate of the Nishinomiya and Koshien bicycle races hangs in the balance.
Proceeds from the sales of betting tickets, which totaled about 77.7 billion in fiscal 1991, sagged to 45 billion yen in fiscal 2000. This may be the last year shares from the proceeds are distributed to local governments. To deal with the situation, the secretariat of the Koshien and Nishinomiya bicycle races has unveiled a restructuring plan, which was accepted by its labor union. The restructuring scheme calls for all employees to be dismissed temporarily and rehired the following year with their salary halved. The secretariat also plans to expand sales of betting tickets at off-track ticket offices.
Officials of the secretariat say that the Nishinomiya-Koshien bicycle races will have to be suspended unless the races go into the black within four years from fiscal 2002.
A slump in bicycle races is not limited to Kansai. It is a common trend throughout the country. Of the 80 organizations sponsoring bicycle races in 1998, 32 posted losses. The situation deteriorated in 1999, with 39 of the 77 bicycle race sponsors suffering deficits. (R)