Comparative Analysis of the Quality of Life of School Children in Japan and Korea

Comparative Analysis of the Quality of Life of School Children in Japan and Korea

It is important to know the way of thinking in their daily life on the children in the physical and mental adolescence in duration of growth and development. What and how these children think about their daily life, what support their life mentally, what fulfill and gratify their days are major focus. The research was to investigate and compare both countries children of Japan and Korea from the concept of the QOL. The research method for investigation was conducted questionnairing on 28 questions about five domains, such as living domain, physical domain, mental domain,


psychological and emotional domain, and social domain. Then, the factor analysis was executed in order to grasp the important factor in the life of children. Subjects were totaled one thousand and four hundred twenty-six pupils in elementary school and junior high school of Japan and Korea. As a result, the elementary school boys and girls of Japan was together the first factor the physical domain on exercise and sports. And the elementary school boys of Korea becomes the first factor the social domain which makes the relationship with friend very important. It is thought like the effect of the education based on the spirit of the Confucianism. The elementary school girls of Korea was the first factor the problem on the body condition in the physical domains. In addition, it was important factor, such as "concentrating to study" and "reading books" as a mental domain, and "have bad habits", or "exclusion from friends" as a psychological and emotional domain for elementary school child. First factor of the junior high school boys were together physical domain such as exercise and sports on both countries of Japan and Korea. However, the body condition in the physical domain is being taken up at the second factor. First factor of the junior high school girls of Japan was a physical domain on exercise and sports.... (author abst.)

from -http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200324/000020032403A0744734.php

Tokyo Female Fashion Trends Revealed Through Cross Analysis

Tokyo Female Fashion Trends Revealed Through Cross Analysis
December 28th 2009,
Having analyzed the apparel fashion trends individually for Tokyo women in their teens, twenties and thirties, Hello-Global.com has now released the cross analysis report comparing the tendencies across these age groups. The 300 respondents were surveyed in the Tokyo metropolitan area to determine primarily what, where and how much they spend on their fashion.

Tokyo has recently undergone a dramatic change recently as the relatively inexpensive H & M, Forever21 and Uniqlo are now in as much demand as the expensive luxury brands. The analysis seems to highlight this change in shopping habits.

Some intriguing facts showed that teens and twentysomethings both preferred to shop in department stores (most notably Lumine, Marui and Parco) whilst thirtysomethings preferred online shopping (Rakuten). Across the board they all agreed that the No.1 resource for fashion trend information was fashion magazines, followed by television. The number one fashion brand in all three groups was Nolley’s (Japanese fashion store). Although the women in twenties and thirties were similar in taste for overseas brands (Louis Vuitton and Coach), Forever21 topped the teen’s list. One thing they all agreed on was their most recent favorite purchase which was the one-piece dress.

The key decision factor for making a purchase was design, price and then brand loyalty in all groups, with quality being not as important as these key factors. The most influential person on their purchase for teens and twentysomethings was friends and family but interestingly for thirtysomethings not only family but also TV stars made a difference for them


from - http://www.hello-global.com/en/company-news/pr-tokyo-female-fashion-trends-revealed-through-cross-analysis

Japan's women wary to wed

Japan's women wary to wed
It is nearly 15 years since Japan's economy ground to a halt, triggering a period of introspection about the country's values and its place in the world. In the first of a special series, BBC News Online's Sarah Buckley reports on women's changing attitudes to marriage.
Multi-coloured collars, premium chews, and cat picture books line the shelves at a swanky emporium in Ebisu, upmarket Tokyo.

Veronique is just one of a string of establishments catering for a boom in Japanese dog owners.

But its success seems as much due to a rejection of marriage as a new-found love for the canine.


"There are lots of women who have dogs as their family or child," said Rie Shimozono, the shop's owner. "They carry the dog in a bag so that they are always spending time with it."

Gazing through the window was Kazoko Endo, with Fukusuke, her daschund, in tow. She is typical of an increasing number of 30-something women in Japan - successful, single, and childless.

"Of course we will get married to someone," said Kazoko, referring to her and her dog. But the very fact that she was not even dating at 38 suggested it was not a priority.

Twenty years ago, women like Ms Endo would have had a wedding ring on her finger and children at her feet.
But changing expectations, both of relationships and careers, mean women across Japan, from school-leavers to members of the royal family, are grappling with a choice between traditional roles and modern freedoms.

The dilemma left more than one in four Japanese women aged 30-34 still unmarried, in 2000.

As a result women are having children much later, if at all. Japan's birth rate dipped to just 1.29 children per woman last year, one of the lowest in the developed world, from 1.54 in 1990.

Hiroe Shibata, 35, who works for a multinational pharmaceutical company, said her priority was her career.

"I'm not against marriage. It's just not happening to me now," she said, pointing out that long working hours followed by evening school left her with no time to date.

She said she loved children, but when asked if she worried about her biological clock, she replied: "If I have the time, then I'll have to think about it."

Even women with less pressing commitments did not seem in a hurry to tie the knot.

Yumiko Koshi, 33, was one of a number of women waiting to see pop idols Tokio last week. Bands originally marketed at teenagers are becoming popular with 30- and 40-something females unfettered by family life.

Yumiko said she wanted to get married, but only if she "found a nice guy". She said she had a boyfriend, but did not see him as marriage material. "It's fun to play with him but I don't think he's reliable enough as a husband. Sometimes he can't make decisions."

"Maybe I might have a lonely old age, but I can't just marry somebody not so good and have a hard time."

According to Sumiko Iwao, author of The Japanese Woman, many women no longer see marriage as an important goal.

"I guess they do not plan to stay single, they just don't meet with the kind of people they want to marry. They don't feel obsessed with being a housewife. If you find a good husband, that's fine, and if you don't, that's also fine.

"Japanese women tend to be very practical and very pragmatic. What are the benefits of getting married?"

For most people in Japan, where unmarried parents are still rare, the main "benefit" is children. And that is the point at which modern freedoms clash headlong with traditional expectations.

Hiroe Shibata explained: "If you get married, your parents expect you to have a baby. If you have a baby, it's going to be very difficult to manage your work and bring up children."
No-one is more aware of this tension than Japan's Princess Masako. On entry to the Imperial family she has been forced to give up her high-flying diplomatic career to concentrate on bearing a male heir. Earlier this year she was diagnosed with a nervous disorder due to stress.

Her unique role obviously brings its own strains. But many women are finding the sacrifice of hard-won economic success and freedom for childbirth tough.

"I think that being a mother reinforces the female role - once you have kids you have some responsibilities to be shared with your partner," said Hiroko Mizushima, a lawmaker specialising in gender equality for the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

However, Ms Mizushima cited government research, from 1995, which suggested full-time working men spent 26 minutes each weekday on domestic chores, compared to 3 hours, 18 minutes by full-time working women. The data may now be outdated, but Ms Mizushima said the balance had not changed.

Other disincentives are that their husbands work long hours, child care is limited; baby sitters are expensive; and if women decide to work part-time, they are paid less than half that of a full-time worker
Ryuko Ishikawa, a family psychiatrist, believes 30-something women are not prepared to "repeat their mothers' mistakes" in settling for the role of housewife. But she said many of her female clients' ambitions were not supported by their husbands.

She referred to the Japanese saying 'deru kugi wa utareru' - the 'nail that sticks out will get hammered'. It is used to denote the person who upsets the social norm.

"Now, women are becoming 'deru kugi' - are sticking out. There's very few males who would say 'that's right, we have to support you.' Instead they (the women) are being hammered," said Dr Ishikawa.

One of those women, caught up in the conflict between the present and the past, appears to be Princess Masako.

"I think Masako-san is a good example of the typical Japanese 'deru-kugi' - the capable woman. I don't think she's ill. I think she's normal," Dr Ishikawa said

Doing business in Japan? Starting business in Japan? Starting or incorporating a Japanese company? Registering a Japanese branch-office? Creating a Ja

Doing business in Japan? Starting business in Japan? Starting or incorporating a Japanese company? Registering a Japanese branch-office? Creating a Japanese market-entry strategy?

Doing business in Japan is ALL we do! We provide Japanese market-entry, PR, sales, marketing, company incorporation, branch-office registration, executive recruitment and business management services (including registered address and proxy director services) to companies doing business in Japan.

In the past year we have:

Supported the launch of a leading skin care range in Isetan Shinjuku in record time (Eve Lom Cosmetics).
Sold a $1,100,000 deal for a leading provider of online collaboration and information management in the construction and plant-engineering industry (Aconex).
Launched a joint-venture with the world's leading plant-engineering design and analysis software company (COADE).
Incorporated several companies at record speeds of 1 - 2 weeks each.
We specialize in the cosmetics and merchandising, software and technology, and financial services and banking industries, but our clients include a Forbes-list US billionaire, a leading European cosmetics and skin care products retailer, a leading European fragrances and perfumes retailer, a publicly listed financial services and banking company, an online advertising technology provider, a digital print technology research company, the world's leading construction industry online information and collaboration management service provider, the world's leading petroleum and chemical industry software developer, the world's leading online real estate asset management service provider, a leading property management company, a financial services (life settlements) company, the City of Osaka and many others


from - http://www.venturejapan.com/

Analysis of sex, age and disease factors contributing to prolonged life expectancy at birth, in cases of malignant neoplasms in Japan

Analysis of sex, age and disease factors contributing to prolonged life expectancy at birth, in cases of malignant neoplasms in Japan
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the contribution made by the change in mortality from malignant neoplasms to the life expectancy at birth, observed during the years 1965-1995 in Japan.

METHODS: We used data on the population and number of deaths by cause, age and sex in 1965, 1975, 1985 and 1995. The contribution of different ages and causes of death to the change in life expectancy were examined with the method developed by Pollard.

RESULTS: We found that, among all causes, the decrease of mortality from stomach cancer led to the greatest improvement in life expectancy for both sexes. On the other hand, negative contributions were seen with cancers of many sites, such as cancer of the intestine, liver and lung for males, and cancer of the intestine, gallbladder, lung and breast for females. Recently, the contributing years of all cancers have been negative because of the increase in mortality from malignant neoplasms. In addition, increase of death from malignant neoplasms in middle-aged and elderly people negatively influenced the life expectancy at birth.

CONCLUSIONS: Female cancer influenced the improvement in life expectancy at birth. Cancer for males, however, contributed little to improvement of life expectancy at birth except for a little prolongation of life expectancy at birth during the years 1965-1975. To develop a public health policy, the contributing years to life expectancy at birth can be a useful indication in evaluating the impact of death from various diseases. It is necessary to analyze the contribution made by various causes of death to the changes of life expectancy at birth

from -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12749605

Japanese Candy & Snacks

Japanese Candy & Snacks

Cybersnacks carries a wide variety of fun Japanese Candy and japanese Snacks. Try our Giant Chocolate or Strawberry Pocky, fruity Fusen Gum,

or a variety of Japanese Hard Candy. Remember the chewy candy wrapped in rice paper? We carry Tomoe Ame, as well as Hello Kitty Candy and creamy Japanese Milk Candy

Trip to Japan

Millions of men in dark suits, crowded subway trains, sushi, taxi drivers with white gloves, neon lights, earth quakes, capsule hotels, sake, sumo wrestling, samurais, geisha, bullet trains, toilets so advanced that you need an instruction manual to use them, manga, polite people, Lost in Translation….this is our trip report from JAPAN.

A short summary
The dream team Nikki and Gard on another adventure :-) This time we headed for Japan and we travelled in the period May 15th to May 28th 2005. We started out in Tokyo where we stayed for about a week. We used a Japan Rail Pass to get to Nagoya (the World Expo) and after that we went to Kyoto where we stayed 5 nights and we used this as a home base to see Kyoto itself, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kobe, Himeji etc. I hope that this trip report can help others that are going to Japan. Get in touch if you have any questions or comments and I’ll do my best to answer. All pictures are taken by Nikki and Gard with our Canon Powershot S1 IS camera (now available in a S2 version).
Prelude
So why Japan? Through movies and books we have become a bit fascinated by the Japanese culture. We also like to travel to destinations that are different compared to Norway/South Africa. One of our worries was that it would be a very expensive trip as the rumour has it that everything is expensive in Japan. Another concern was the language problem as we got an impression that English is not widely spoken. But we found out that the rumours where exaggerated and I hope that this trip report will show that.

Planning a trip is important and, as usual, we bought a guidebook in the DK Eyewitness series from Amazon. This gave us some idea of what to expect but we also used the internet to try and get an understanding of what to see, what to do and where to go while in Japan. After searching for a while we ended up buying tickets with www.reisebutikken.no and we got the tickets for the reasonable amount of about 6500 kroner each (about 800€). We were quite late when it came to booking hotels in Japan. We started searching for hotels on different websites and local travel agencies and it was hard to understand where it would be best to stay in such a big city as Tokyo. Our travel agency came up with a suggestion to stay near Shinagawa station but I’m not sure that would have been so great…it seemed to be a bit outside of town. In the end we booked a room at The New Otani hotel in the Akasaka district. We booked the hotel using Expedia and it cost us 180 US dollars per night. In Kyoto we booked a room at Hotel Gimmond and we booked this directly on the hotels homepage (www.gimmond.co.jp/kyoto/khome-e.htm) and we got the room for about 95 US dollars per night. We also stayed a couple of nights at the Akasaka Excel Tokyu near the New Otani. This hotel was booked through Asiarooms and Expedia at about 160 US dollars. We were quite happy with staying in the Akasaka area by the way. From the subway station Akasaka-mitsuke it was only a few minutes to Ginza, Shinjuku and Shibuya