Latest news with #HiroshiSasaki
The Mainichi
a day ago
- Health
- The Mainichi
Japan doctor calls for caution over 'eye sunburn' amid midsummer heat
The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about sunburn to the eyes amid extreme heat. Question: My eyes are bloodshot from the strong sunlight. Is it related to sunburn? Answer: Yes, it is. Apart from your skin, your eyes can also get "sunburned" if you don't protect them from ultraviolet (UV) rays. The redness is caused by UV rays being absorbed by the cornea and conjunctiva, leading to inflammation. It usually goes away with time, such as after a night's sleep. Q: Oh, so it heals quickly? A: You still should be careful. According to Hiroshi Sasaki, lead professor at Kanazawa Medical University's Division of Vision Research for Environmental Health, UV exposure during childhood accumulates and can affect eye health in the future. Research shows that prolonged exposure to strong UV rays can accelerate the progression of cataracts. It can also hasten age-related farsightedness and increase the risk of developing pterygium, where part of the white of the eye extends onto the cornea, and pinguecula, which causes a yellowish, raised spot on the white of the eye. Q: That's concerning. Are people taking precautions? A: Awareness of eye sunburn is not as widespread as sunburn to the skin. In a survey conducted in June by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson and the Japan Weather Association, targeting 1,123 people in their 10s to 50s, more than half felt that UV exposure in daily life has increased in recent years. Asked about measures to protect eye health, however, 66.2% responded, "I don't know what to do" or "It's difficult to take action." Q: What should be done to protect the eyes? A: Refer to the "UV Index," a measure of UV strength made available by the Japan Meteorological Agency, and avoid going out during times when UV rays are strongest. Sasaki advises that while the index is for skin, caution is needed for the eyes not only during midday but also in the morning and evening. It's preferred to use a combination of items such as wide-brimmed hats, parasols, sunglasses and contact lenses.
SoraNews24
2 days ago
- General
- SoraNews24
Rhinoceros beetles falling out of favor with Japanese kids
Hotter summers to blame for insect-adverse kids. I fondly remember going out to fields and wooded areas to track down insects and other small critters in the hopes of catching some of the cooler ones, like praying mantises or salamanders. I'm sure I'm not alone in this among people in my age group, but this childhood phase appears to be getting phased out among younger generations. ▼ It is said that the praying mantis's deadliest predators are kids who forget to poke holes in lids. According to a 2022 survey by the National Institution for Youth Education, 31.5 percent of children asked said that they've almost never tried to catch an insect. This is a significant increase from 19.9 percent 10 years earlier. While praying mantises are popular in Japan too, the undisputed king of insects for kids has got to be the rhinoceros beetle, known as ' kabutomushi ' here, which literally means 'samurai helmet bug.' These sizable insects are so popular they can often be bought at pet stores or even specialty boutiques, sometimes at steep prices. They're also the closest things kids can get to real-life Pok é mon that can battle each other by butting their horned heads. However, a report by TBS program N Star spoke with naturalist Hiroshi Sasaki, who said that interest in rhinoceros beetles has been waning. He cites the two main reasons as being that parents are also increasingly skittish around bugs and that it's just too hot to go out and interact with insects these days. Readers of the news online had a mixture of reactions, with some lamenting the loss of playtime with bugs and others feeling it doesn't make a difference either way. 'Kids aren't catching cicadas and crayfish either. It's sad.' 'These kids can't touch beetles while I'm here battling spiders and roaches every day.' 'I hate summer so much.' 'Everything seems to be going away.' 'I work near the harbor, and I don't see as many people fishing either. The wind is like a hair dryer.' 'I can touch them, but it's not as exciting as when I was a child. Probably better for the beetles.' 'Kids often get into bugs through manga and video games featuring them. Maybe there aren't any popular ones now?' 'Unfortunately, that's not the kind of thing you can push on a child. They have to get into it organically.' 'I don't think it's a problem that kids aren't playing with beetles.' 'Rhinoceros beetles seem like big cockroaches to me.' I often thought those bugs were alike myself. When you break down the characteristics of both rhinoceros beetles and cockroaches found in Japanese homes, it seems like the similarities far outweigh the differences. The biggest, and probably most crucial, difference between the two is that rhinoceros beetles usually move really slowly and are easier to keep track of than those sneaky roaches. In that way, it's probably good that kids spend time with large beetles and get accustomed to some docile six-legged creatures, so they won't be quite as distraught when they inevitably come across the more unpleasant ones in the comfort of their own homes. Source: TBS News Dig, Hachima Kiko Featured image: Pakutaso Insert image: Pakutaso 1, 2 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Japan Forward
11-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
NTT Buys Back Subsidiaries to Compete in the Global Market
このページを 日本語 で読む Telecom giant NTT has changed its official company name from "Nippon Telegraph and Telephone" to simply "NTT." The enactment of the 2024 revised Act on Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation paved the way for the name change. Effective from July 1, the widely used abbreviation "NTT" was adopted as the official company name. The action follows its approval at the general shareholders' meeting and from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The previous name had been in use since the company's privatization in 1985. A corporate decision was made to change it because the relative weight of fixed-line telephones and other traditional services had declined, and the name had become increasingly detached from the services the company actually provides. In the information and communications field, Japanese companies are lagging far behind the giant American IT companies, which are collectively known as "GAFAM" (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft). Hopefully, the name change will mark the genesis of a new NTT. The group hopes to harness its full strength and make its presence felt on the world stage. NTT is looking to expand its business by developing IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network). This is a next-generation technology that combines high-speed communications with reduced power consumption. For the project, it is collaborating with NTT Data Group, a listed subsidiary of the company that manages IT services and data center businesses in Japan and overseas. NTT Data Group President Hiroshi Sasaki (left) and NTT Data President Masanori Suzuki shake hands in Tokyo on June 26. With the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and other cutting-edge technologies, demand for data centers is rapidly increasing worldwide. NTT Data Group has the third-largest global share of data centers. And NTT is investing more than ¥2 trillion JPY (almost $14 billion USD) to make it a wholly owned subsidiary. Meanwhile, the growing use of data centers and AI is expected to increase electricity demand both domestically and overseas. At the Osaka Kansai Expo, NTT is exhibiting a server that uses IOWN to reduce power consumption. Impressively, it uses only one-eighth the level needed by conventional servers. Hopefully, the company will also adopt IOWN for its data center business to strengthen its international competitiveness. NTT Docomo Building in Tokyo's Chiyoda ward. Since privatization, NTT has spun off major businesses, including mobile phones. This responded to the government's desire to promote fair competition. However, this has also been one of the reasons why the company has fallen behind overseas IT competitors. Recognizing this, NTT has been working to reintegrate its subsidiaries. It started with NTT Docomo, which became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2020. Incorporating NTT Data Group as a wholly owned subsidiary is seen as the last step in the group's restructuring. DoCoMo has yet to become more competitive in the domestic mobile phone sector. The question now is how it should tap into the group's collective strength to increase its competitiveness in the global market. Management needs to draw up a clear strategy and then effectively implement it. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
