Friday, May 30, 2014

"Literacy of Japanese Women" Published!



Page 36 of the July issue of Eye-Ai magazine.  Available in Japan and Hawaii and also on Amazon.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Suganuma Akira Sensei


Suganuma sensei is my Sanskrit teacher at Asahi Culture Center at Shinjuku, Tokyo. I joined his advanced class since April without knowing devanagari.  I only took one basic Sanskrit course from one of his students long time ago. 

The class has been working on Bhasa's play.  It's been very interesting.




This is my third Sanskrit book written by him.  He told me he didn't like to sign his books.  I said, "Why not?"  He eventually signed it for me.  I would regret it if he didn't so I'm glad about that.



I didn't know he also wrote my name.  Thank you!



The bookstores in Japan offer book-cover services.  They usually ask customers if we want it, but this time the worker didn't ask me.  She handed me the book as you see it as above photo.  



I have a lot to say about this first page already but I need to rest my eyes.  It's very exciting to talk about each word and on my each discovery!



I like this book. It's thick but not heavy and the corners are round.


I was unaware that he was the author of my first two Sanskrit textbooks when I joined his class in April.




Saturday, May 10, 2014

The STAP Cell Issue Needs Gloria Allred



Obokata Haruko needs Gloria Allred.  The STAP Cell issue violated her civil right.  Her lawyer hesitates to suit Riken for a libel case. Why is it taking so long?  We all know her reputation has ruined, therefore also her career.  Think who persevered to discover the STAP cell.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government skipped raising the status of Riken and the other organization to the special national level, which enable much more funding, on the ground that Riken hasn't met the government's requirements for managing national organization. This is also very tame approach because it involves unspoken, shameful national illness on women’ rights. It is rooted deeply in our culture for a thousand years. Even today, top ministers cannot tell frankly to the top Riken leaders, "Look, clear your sunglasses and straighten your prejudiced attitude on women.  If you don’t, you're all fired for good for the future of Japan."


Also, Nature, a British magazine for science, said they've been investigating the issue on their own because what they published is their utmost concern. That's great. I'd like to hear their debate on this case. And please include your opinions on Japanese civil rights and women's rights.  I say it's backward and so obvious.  Many Japanese men are still unaware of their prejudiced attitude on Obokata san. This is more than the issue itself.