In the news

A couple of news articles from today...

Both the Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売  and the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ are running stories concerning a business tie-up between Japanese and Taiwanese companies. Here is the JT article , courtesy of Kyōdō News 共同通信社:

"Hitachi Ltd. 日立製作所 is negotiating with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the world's largest contract electronics maker, to pick up its controlling stake in a liquid crystal display unit, sources said Monday. The Taiwanese manufacturer, widely known as Foxconn 鴻海科技集團, will likely invest around ¥100 billion ($1.2 billion/NT36.7 billion) in Hitachi Displays Ltd., now owned 75.1 percent by Hitachi with the remainder held by Canon Inc. キャノン. Hon Hai is expected to take a majority stake in Hitachi Displays by acquiring new shares to be issued by the Hitachi subsidiary. Hitachi Displays is expected to use the proceeds to establish a new plant in Chiba Prefecture 千葉県. Hitachi apparently wants to rid itself of unprofitable operations to focus on its infrastructure business. Hon Hai will probably tap Hitachi's know-how in LCD panels to lower production costs for displays used in smart phones, the sources added. Hitachi Displays already contracts part of its LCD production out to Chimei Innolux Corp. 群創光電, a Hon Hai group firm. If they team up, Chimei and Hitachi Displays will probably command a combined share of the global LCD market comparable to that of industry leader Sharp Corp. シャープ. Hon Hai makes display panels for Apple Inc.'s iPhones and iPads and has been expanding production by buying Sony Corp.'s ソニー LCD television factories in Mexico and Slovakia. Canon sought to turn Hitachi Displays into a subsidiary before scrapping the plan in September."

In another Kyōdō News story being carried on the Times' website, it seems a traditional Japanese 旅館 has opened for business in Taiwan:

ISHIKAWA INN PLANS $76.9 MILLION LUXURY HOT SPRING RESORT IN TAIWAN

"A Japanese-style inn opened (in Taipei 台北) earlier this month, bringing the legendary service and attention of Japan's Kagaya Hotel 加賀屋 to Taiwan. In development since 2004, the Radium-Kagaya International Hotel is located in Beitou 北投, a famed if slightly faded resort area at the foot of a sulfur-scented group of mountains known as Yangmingshan 陽明山 that dominates Taipei's northern skyline. Gaining fame as a hot spring retreat during the Japanese colonial era 日本統治時代, Beitou gentrified over the decades and settled into a more mainstream destination for tourism. Now, the Kagaya Group and its Taiwanese partner, the Radium Group, are looking to a big-spending clientele to redeem their $2.3 billion New Taiwan dollar (about $76.9 million/$76 million) investment: a 14-story, 90-room resort with Japanese and local managers and local staff right on the main strip of hot spring hotels...Guests have access to private hot spring tubs, segregated hot spring and sauna areas, a spa, beauticians, three restaurants, conference facilities and other services and products. The restrained atmosphere and moderately subdued lighting aim for tranquility and serenity rather than excitement, unlike the increasingly perfunctory and sometimes run-down facilities offered by some of Kagaya's better-known, mid-range rivals...Central to the hotel's sales pitch...are the 70-strong personal attendant team, all young Taiwanese women dressed in kimono 和服 and flip-flops. As with Kagaya's Japanese resort in the Wakura hot spring 和倉温泉 area of Ishikawa Prefecture 石川県, the attendants will provide guests with a careful, constant and highly personalized level of service...These women are part of what Kagaya Executive Director Yutaka Kosaki calls a new form of Japanese soft power in foreign lands: know-how in the recreational industry. Hotel General Manager Tony Liu said that differences between local and Japanese building regulations prompted the company to consult academics and other design specialists over several years to harmonize legal obligations and traditional aesthetics. He added that 'marketing is restricted for the moment to Taiwanese customers,' but eventually to include Japanese expatriates. Although Taiwan has become a burgeoning market for Chinese tourists after the easing of travel restrictions by both sides — government figures last week showed Chinese arrivals eclipsed Japanese arrivals in 2010 — Liu said visiting Chinese are not a priority target. Of more concern to the two companies is acknowledging the historical context of their Peit'ou facility. The hotel is built almost on top of the site of Peit'ou's first hot spring hotel, while (Kagaya Group Chairman Sadahiko) Oda said it is meaningful that another famous colonial-era Japanese — the engineer Yoichi Hatta 八田與一, creator of Taiwan's Wushant'ou Reservoir — hailed from Ishikawa."

It sounds like a great place to stay, except for one thing - the cost:

"The seven classes of rooms at the hotel are in the traditional Japanese style and range from NT$24,000 ($800/¥65,370) to NT$120,000 ($4,000/¥327,000) per night, firmly placing the facility at the luxury end of the market."

Firm Japanese service and a firm Japanese experience at firm Japanese prices.

Greater Taichung welcomes you!

A Christmas present I never asked for, but nonetheless received, happened yesterday morning when I woke up to find myself no longer a registered foreign resident of Shengang 神岡郷, but now one of the brand-new Greater Taichung City 台中市. As of December 25, 2010, the city and county of Taichung have officially merged into the aforementioned special municipality 直轄市, and mailing address will now refer to a "district" 區 instead of the previous "township" 郷. Of course, in practice, nothing much will change. However, I was amused to read about problems that have emerged in the run-up to the great merger, such as the fact that many of the cities and towns in Greater Taichung share a number of street names, such as "Chung-cheng Road" 中正路 and "Chungshan Road" 中山路, that will probably create some confusion in the days, weeks and months ahead. Discussing the merger in one of my classes last week, several of my students remarked that they were unsure of which government offices (and their locations) they are going to have to visit to take care of routine bureaucratic matters. I would have thought that as part of the preparations for the creation of Greater Taichung, the authorities would have set up committees to explore possible problems arising from the merger, as well as printing up handbooks explaining the union to the citizenry. But this is Taiwan, where ideas are eagerly adopted, but boring things like details are left to be dealt with later, like when problems that should have been foreseen inevitably arise.

Perhaps in celebration of the above-mentioned momentous event, but more likely to give Amber a chance to give her new Hello Kitty bike a good workout, we visited the new city hall building of the Greater Taichung government this afternoon. I won't go into the details behind the building - for that, you're much better following this link to Mayor Jason Hu's 胡志強 favorite brown-nosing English-language publication, Compass Magazine. Instead, I'll just note that the weather was sunny (though a little on the chilly side), while Amber made full use of the ample plaza to ride her bike around the vast square. The new city hall is still unfinished - construction work was still going on in the underground garage, while the shops and restaurants haven't opened yet - but it does look impressive. Taichung has grown to the point where the old downtown Japanese-era city hall building had become too small, though I hope the original structure will be preserved for its historic value. I imagine the plaza will become a gathering spot on weekends for families, couples and performers utilizing a giant rehearsal space, not to mention the occasional political demonstration. The "Heart of Taichung", indeed, as the phrase on the giant TV screen proudly boasts.

Perhaps no Japanese company has deeper ties with Taiwanese partners than Elpida Memory エルピーダメモリ, connections that are likely to strengthen, as both the Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売 ("Japan, Taiwan makers eye DRAM tie-up / Elpida, 2 firms could be world's 2nd largest") and the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ ("Elpida in talks with Taiwan firms on tieups", Kyōdō News 共同通信社) report on in their Boxing Day editions. Here's the Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞 article carried in the Daily Yomiuri:

"Elpida Memory Inc., the world's third-largest maker of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) chips, intends to launch capital tie-up talks with Taiwan firms that are currently the world's sixth- and seventh-biggest chip makers, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Saturday. Elpida President Yukio Sakamoto 坂本幸雄 plans to visit Taiwan early next month to start the talks and hopes to reach a deal by the end of this fiscal year, according to sources. Amid intensifying competition, DRAM prices have fallen, which has weighed on Elpida and the industry as a whole. By forming a 'Japan-Taiwan alliance,' Elpida aims to boost its global market share in DRAM sales from 16 percent to more than 20 percent, which would make it the No. 2 firm behind the world's largest industry player, Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea. According to the sources, the Taiwan companies Elpida plans to negotiate with are Powerchip Technology Corp. and ProMOS Technologies Inc. The Taiwan chip makers approached Elpida about the tie-up, they added. The sources said Elpida is considering its options, including the financial partnership with the Taiwan firms and establishing a holding company in Taiwan to integrate four companies - Elpida, its Taiwan subsidiary, Rexchip Electronics Corp., and the two Taiwan firms. Tōkyō 東京 -based Elpida plans to move the production of DRAM chips for personal computers to Taiwan as part of an effort to lower costs amid an industry price war. Elpida will focus on production of chips for smartphones, for which the technology is developing rapidly, at its key plant in Hiroshima Prefecture 広島県, the sources said. As demand for semiconductors has lagged amid the global recession, Elpida had previously started partnership talks with six Taiwan companies, including Powerchip and ProMOS, but the talks failed as the Taiwan firms were unable to coordinate. Elpida since has emerged from its slump thanks to a surge in demand for smartphone DRAM chips. But the overcrowded Taiwan chip maker field remains in dire financial straits, and firms have found it difficult to make the bold investments needed to make the shift to smartphone chips. Concerned over the domestic semiconductor industry, the Taiwan authorities have been supportive of the possible tie-up between Elpida and Taiwan companies, the sources said."

In another Yomiuri Shimbun story ("Diamond legacy finds pace on pitch"), sportswriter Hirokazu Hayashi reports on the son of a Taiwanese baseball player who has found success in Japan playing college rugby:

"Meiji University 明治大学 has unveiled what might be its secret weapon. Seeking its first National University Championship title in 14 years, Meiji got off to a strong start in last week's 68-5 first-round thrashing of Chūō University 中央大学, when the son of a former Japan pro baseball star made a breath-taking debut. Sou Kaku, a sophomore from Aichi Prefecture 愛知県, is the second son of former Chūnichi Dragons 中日ドラゴンズ pitcher Kuo Yuen-chih. In a game played at Mizuho Stadium 名古屋市瑞穂公園陸上競技場 near where he grew up, the imposing 1.85-meter, 85-kilogram winger came on in the second half and put the athleticism he inherited from his father on display...His father, who had come to Japan in 1981 as an unheralded amateur from Taiwan, pitched for the Dragons under the name Genji Kaku 郭源治. He became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 1989 and remained with the Nagoya 名古屋 club until 1996. The elder Kaku was out of town on business and unable to witness his 20-year-old son's breakthrough. 'It's really something that he was able to appear in a game so soon,' the 54-year-old former pitcher said. 'He must have had a lot of confidence to be able to score a try in his hometown.'"

An oyster omelet dinner this evening at a night market in the Fengyuan District 豐原區 of Greater Taichung.

On the ROCs

What you see pictured above is a…um…well, I’m not sure what exactly it is. It looks like one of those long scarves that you see English fans waving at Premier League soccer games. Only this one isn’t for Manchester United or Arsenal, it’s been created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of China 中華民國, which falls on October 10 next year, a century after the Wuchang Uprising. The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 is planning a long series of events to commemorate this momentous occasion, but I’m wondering how many people on this island will actually care about this. Other than my wife, of course, who ordered a whole boxful of these scarves to give away to her family, friends and our daughter. I’m a little leery about having Amber receiving one of these, as I don’t know if she would generate any negative reactions from others should Pamela make her wear such a scarf in public. I’m also concerned about the none-too-subtle political influencing that would be affecting 波ちゃん’s subconscious. The recent special municipality election campaign found me having to explain to my child that “green people” were not necessarily all “bad” - no surprises as to where she would get such notions, as my wife is as “blue” as they come. My father-in-law is one of those unfortunate KMT veterans who found themselves alone in Taiwan, with family left behind in China, when the Chinese Civil War ended disastrously for Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 and his flunkies. Pamela grew up in a “patriotic” household, in the process becoming a true believer in the ideology/mythology that underpinned the authoritarian Kuomintang 中國國民黨 regime for so many decades. For her, 2011 is something to get excited about.

Naturally, the ironies visible on the scarf are lost on my significant other. For as you can see in the photo, most of the images woven into the material display things more associated with “Taiwan” than with “China”. There’s the baseball player, of course, playing a game that was introduced by the Japanese when they ruled Taiwan from 1895 to 1945. Note also the representation of the Taiwanese aboriginal 台灣原住民族, symbolizing a group of people who are not Han Chinese 漢族, but whose ancestors came from Austronesia instead. No doubt a lot of people are going to be talking about “Taiwan’s 100th birthday” in the days and months ahead, but this celebration has about as much to do with Taiwan as the October 10th “Double Ten Day” 國慶日national holiday. When the R.O.C. was established on January 1, 1912, Taiwan wasn’t even a part of the Chinese empire, having been ceded to Japan in 1895 under the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki 下関条約. The island of Taiwan, of course, has been around much longer than the Republic of China, the KMT or even the Chinese empire itself. The original inhabitants have been here for at least 8000 (and perhaps as long as 30,000) years. Chinese settlers started moving to Taiwan from Fujian beginning in the 13th century. The first organized political regime on this island was set up by the Dutch in Tainan 台南 in 1624. Taiwan had been a part of the Republic of China for all of four years (4!) when the Nationalists were forced to flee here with tails firmly between their legs, and dreaming their quixotic dreams of “retaking the mainland”. What happened in October 1911, and the individuals involved, such as Sun Yat-sen, all occurred far away – geographically, politically, and, perhaps, emotionally – from Taiwan and most Taiwanese.

What exactly, then, is there worth celebrating? A “country” that is just a fraction of its former self in terms of size, and one that can count only 23 nations that still grant it diplomatic recognition? A corrupt one-party regime that imposed martial law for four decades, and imprisoned and executed tens of thousands of its own citizens? A “state” that can’t use it’s official title, or even the name that would naturally fit, “Taiwan”, in international settings because of pressure from the Chinese? “Happy Birthday Chinese Taipei” just doesn’t sound very celebratory, does it?

One other irony at play here is that the very government that will be going all out to celebrate the R.O.C. has shown itself to be less than proud of its identity since assuming office in 2008. How else to explain the many incidents where national flags were removed (sometimes forcibly) so as not to “offend” visiting Chinese dignitaries? Or of a government that seems quite content to be called “Chinese Taipei” 中華台北 in forums such as the WTO? At the same time 100 years of gangster-affiliated political thuggery will be celebrated, the Taiwanese economy will be more closely tied into that of China’s, to the eventual point that economic dependency will act as a brake on any aspirations of political independence from the “One China” 一個中國原則 albatross.

It’s Christmas (and, coincidentally, Constitution Day 行憲紀念日) so I should step back and let those who want to enjoy the upcoming festivities do so. It’s just too bad that Taiwan doesn’t have its own day. It would be great if a holiday could be created to celebrate this island, its culture and its people. It would have to be a day that isn't tinged with sadness (such as 228 二二八事件), or dates with political implications, like October 25 (Retrocession Day 台灣光復節) or September 8 (台灣國運動). Why not pick a day out of a hat, say July 1, for example (when students begin their summer vacations)? Call it “Formosa Day” so as not to enrage suspicious Communists in Beijing, and ask everyone to leave any flags at home. Just a day to let the people feel good about themselves and all they have accomplished, regardless of whether they are “blue” or “green”, or somewhere in between. Is that too much to ask for on this particular holiday?

Merry Christmas, メリークリスマス and 聖誕快樂

As I write this, it's only 15 minutes until Christmas. Living in Taiwan, however, tends to dampen down one's enthusiasm for the holiday. Sure, there are Xmas decorations to be seen around town, and songs and carols can be heard here and there, but, for the most part, this time of year is no different from any other, albeit with cooler temperatures. I miss Japan, for example, where Christmas decorations can be quite bright and festive, even though the day isn't a holiday there, either.

On the other hand, my daughter was very excited this evening, awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus. She has a small stocking hanging up behind her door, which will be filled with small gifts when she wakes up tomorrow morning. There will be wrapped presents under our small (artificial) tree, including the bicycle she has been asking for. And though her mother will have to go to work in the morning, there should still be enough time for the three of us to open the gifts together, and wish each other a Merry Christmas.

So wherever you are in the world right now, whether you have celebrated, are celebrating, or will celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and/or New Year's, we here in the Kaminoge household would like to wish you all the happiest of holidays!

Once in an orange moon

I missed the lunar eclipse of a couple of nights ago, but the moon was a bright orange this evening. Here's my attempt at taking a picture of it from the rooftop of my apartment building:

More monkeying around

A glimpse of a Formosan Rock Macaque 台灣獼猴 checking me out this afternoon on Trail No. 1 in Dakeng 大坑:

We're going to the zoo

It's less than a week until Christmas, and the shopping isn't finished, so in order to give my wife time to hit the stores today, Amber and I took up my friend Thoth's offer to visit him in Hsinchu 新竹. It took about an hour and a quarter on the local train from Fengyuan 豐原 to Hsinchu Station 新竹車站, where we were met by Thoth:

From the station, Thoth took us to Hsinchu Park, where Amber checked out an old cannon battery...

...before heading over to what was undoubtedly the highlight of my daughter's day, the Zoological Gardens 新竹動物公園. Though I had been warned that the zoo wasn't much of an attraction, it turned out to be far more interesting than I'd thought, and the admission fee was a bargain at only NT10 (33¢/¥28). Amber enjoyed seeing monkeys, tigers, and, bless her heart, reptiles (especially the swimming python). Getting to feed a baby Sika Deer was especially enjoyable:

Leaving the zoo, we walked back towards the train station in search of a place to have lunch. Following a leisurely meal at a cafe just a stone's throw from the train tracks, Thoth took us to one of the best-preserved Japanese-era 台灣日治時期 houses I've seen so far in Taiwan. Officially called "The Residence of Hsin Chih-Ping", and dating from 1922, the building has been carefully preserved in its original condition, and walking around inside, it's easy to forget its location near the center of a bustling Taiwanese city. Unfortunately, interior photography was forbidden, but some nice photographs of the tatami mat 畳 rooms could be seen on the free pamphlets available inside. The English captions describing the various rooms were also well done. In addition to the house, an equally well-maintained wooden lecture hall could be visited just behind the residence:

If you're wondering just who Hsin Chih-ping was, he was an educator from China who came to Taiwan after the Second World War to become the principal of the Japanese-built Hsinchu High School. Apparently, Hsin didn't let any resentment he may have felt from fighting the Japanese (he served in the Nationalist Chinese military during the war) stop him from appreciating the aesthetic beauty of a well-designed traditional Japanese wooden home.

By now, it was getting late in the afternoon, so we returned to the train station, thanked Thoth for taking the time to show us around and caught an express train back to Fengyuan. Amber couldn't wait to show her mother the gifts we had picked up for her in Hsinchu, namely the packages of Hairei Meatballs and Hsinchu Rice Noodles. Yes, when in Rome...:

How do you say "No s***, Sherlock" in Mandarin?

Behind our apartment building is a narrow road that runs past some rice paddies and small factories. I often use this route as a shortcut to get to work in the mornings and evenings. For most of its length, the lane can accommodate cars and small trucks, but at one end it narrows to the extent that only scooters and motorcycles can safely navigate it. There is a sign that clearly warns cars not to proceed on to this point, and, to be blunt about it, only a visually impaired person would be unable to see that the way ahead is just too damn narrow. And yet, several times a year, large vehicles still attempt to go all the way, with predictable results. This was the scene that greeted me this morning:

It would be tempting to say this could only happen to the very dense, but last year a fire department vehicle ended up in the same predicament. Usually what follows in these incidents is that a forklift from a nearby factory is summoned to lift the car or truck up, out and away. Still, thanks to this idiot, I had to take a detour and was, therefore, late for work. Well, I suppose if I hadn't paused to take the photo, then stopped at a 7-Eleven to buy a newspaper and a cup of coffee afterward, I might have made it on time. But then what's the point of having the stupid around if you can't use them as scapegoats?

*UPDATE* It seems the answer to the question posed in the subject line is 廢話, or feihua. Thanks Michael!

新古

The new and the old were on display this afternoon at the Fengyuan Train Station 豐原車站. As you walk up the steps leading to the ticket gates, you are greeted by a large map showing the elevated railway project of the Taichung Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit 台中捷運 development...:

...while the walls of the waiting area upstairs are adorned with old photographs of Taichung 台中 taken during the Japanese colonial era 台灣日治時期:

 

 

I'm dreaming of a plastic Christmas

Amber poses with our new artificial Christmas tree, which is twice as tall as the one we had last year, and just as fake.

It's that time of year again, and this afternoon my daughter and I took our first tentative steps towards Xmas shopping by visiting the Taiwan Railways Administration 台灣鐵路管理局 shop located above Taiyuan Station 太原車站. Actually, we were supposed to go swimming today with my friend Steve and his brood, but seasonal colds got in the way of things (Amber is just getting over hers, and I'm still in the middle of mine). So the true purpose of riding the rails was just to get out of the house, and to show Amber the station, store and seating area, where it's possible to have a drink and watch the trains pass underneath (here's the link to my previous visit to Taiyuan). While we were there, however, my 波ちゃん saw something that she thought her mother would like for Christmas, so you could say we have begun.

Without giving away any of Santa's secrets, Amber can be pretty sure of getting want she wants for Christmas this year (her wish list, thankfully, isn't very long or demanding). The same can't be said for the leadership in Beijing, in the aftermath of the recent elections held in Taiwan. Hong Kong-based journalist Frank Ching's analysis of the results can be found in today's Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ ("The dead weight on Taiwanese aspirations"):

"The ruling party of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 — in an election carefully watched in Beijing — has managed to win three of five mayoral races in Taiwan, reversing a losing streak in legislative by-elections since Ma's presidential election triumph in 2008. Even so, however, the Kuomintang 中國國民黨 won far fewer votes island-wide than the opposition Democratic Progressive Party 民主進步黨, suggesting that the president may have problems in 2012, when he will run for a second term. A post-election poll conducted by the Global Views Survey Research Center showed Ma's public confidence index dropping to 47.5 percent, putting him behind Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文, chairwoman of the DPP, with 51.2 percent...

In last month's mayoral elections, however, while the status quo was maintained, with the opposition keeping two seats and the KMT retaining three, the DPP received 49.9 percent of all votes cast, compared to 44.5 percent for the KMT. The rest went to independents. The overall decline in KMT electoral support means that Ma will certainly not be able to accede to Beijing's desire for political discussions on relations between Taiwan and...China. With the vast majority of Taiwan's people favoring maintenance of the status quo, or de facto independence, there is little support for negotiations that Beijing hopes will lead to political reunification. Any sign that Ma is thinking of such talks in a second term could jeopardize his re-election prospects...

In Kaohsiung 高雄, the incumbent DPP mayor, Chen Chu 陳菊, won in a landslide, receiving 52.8 percent of the vote, while the KMT candidate came last in a three- way race, getting only 20.5 percent of the vote — sharply down from previous elections. This means that the DPP has deepened and strengthened its base of support. And even where it lost the races, the DPP showed impressive gains. This was particularly true in Taichung 台中, where KMT incumbent Jason Hu 胡志強 squeaked through with 51.12 percent of the vote. In the last election in 2005, Hu won with a 20 percent margin. In Taipei 台北, traditionally a KMT stronghold, the incumbent Hau Lung-pin 郝龍斌 won re-election with a decisive margin of 55.65 percent. However, the 43.81 percent achieved by the challenger, the DPP's Su Tseng-chang 蘇貞昌, was the highest level achieved by the DPP since Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 ran for mayor in 1998. Xinbei City 新北市, formerly known as Taipei County 台北縣, was also retained by the KMT. The incumbent, Eric Chu 朱立倫, garnered 52.6 percent of the vote, defeating DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, who nevertheless received over a million votes, making her a serious contender for the presidency in 2012. So there has been serious erosion in the KMT's support base while the DPP has managed not only to strengthen its base but to make inroads into traditionally KMT areas. If China wants to prevent the pro-independence DPP from regaining power, it will have to support the KMT by allowing Taiwan more international space. Although there has been a big improvement since the days of Chen Shui-bian, there is much more than Beijing can do."

Yes, Virginia, China had better watch out, because it has been far naughtier than nice this year (or any other year, for that matter):

"Even where nongovernmental relations are concerned, Beijing continues to impede Taiwan's participation. In October, for example, on the opening night of the Tōkyō Film Festival 東京国際映画祭, Chinese representatives demanded that the Japanese organizers change the name 'Taiwan' 台湾 to 'China Taiwan' or 'Chinese T'aipei' チャイニーズタイペイ. When this was not done, the Chinese withdrew from the festival. Such actions are unlikely to win for Beijing the minds and hearts of the people of Taiwan. For purely domestic political reasons, Ma may find it necessary to distance his government from China. China should understand that hostility does not win friends, in Taiwan or anywhere else."

Here's hoping the leadership in Zhongnanhai gets nothing more than lumps of coal in their stockings this holiday season. Ho ho ho...

Cheese it

We were in the Capita'n Japanese supermarket on Chongde Road in Taichung 台中 this evening, and among the many food samples available for tasting, were some slices of Hokkaidō 北海道 Camembert cheese. Giving a piece to my wife to try, she put it into her mouth and almost immediately pulled a face, and pronounced it to be utterly disgusting. Which just goes to show a couple of things, namely that 1.) Pamela is truly Chinese (culturally speaking) when it comes to foreign foods; and 2.) the Japanese, seeing as they like this stuff, really are different from other Asians. All of which has nothing to do with this short Kyōdō News 共同通信社 article featured in today's issue of the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ:

TECH-SHARING PROTOCOL WITH TAIWAN INKED ON DISASTERS 

"Taiwan and Japan signed a research and technology-sharing protocol on disaster response Friday, the first such agreement to result from a wide-ranging memorandum of understanding inked April 30. The protocol promotes technical and academic exchanges and information-sharing on the prevention of landslides triggered by typhoons and earthquakes, which frequently strike both, as well as research on sand control and post-disaster reconstruction. The protocol was signed in Taipei 台北 at the conclusion of the latest round of economic and trade talks between Taiwan's East Asia Relations Commission and Tōkyō's 東京 de facto mission in Taiwan, the Interchange Association 財団法人交流協会, which undertakes negotiations in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. Friday's protocol is the first document to be signed between the two sides deriving from the 15-point memorandum of understanding that covers economic, legal, cultural, security, environmental, technological and scholastic ties, as well as links between local governments."

Have mercy

The weather is starting to turn chilly, but conditions this afternoon were ideal for a short walk, with today's destination being the Guanyin 觀世音菩薩 Temple atop the hill behind the Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology 中臺科技大學. Here's the view towards Taichung 台中 in the haze:

Seeing red on Big Snow Mountain

One of the drawbacks to living in a country with a semi-tropical climate is that there is a lack of four distinct seasons. Basically, Taiwan is warm most of the year, with higher temperatures and humidity levels to denote summer, and a couple of months called "winter" when the temperature can drop to around 10C (50F) or even lower. What this means for autumn is a serious lack of color, other than green. Unlike places such as Canada, Japan and New England, where the leaves are ablaze in all their glory for all to see, to view the fall colors in Taiwan, one has to drive high up into the mountains. Which is what the Kaminoge family did today, driving 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Dongshi 東勢 up a winding road to reach the Dasyueshan 大雪山 National Forest Recreation Area.

Amber digs into a breakfast of danbing (egg pancake) and Strawberry Goat's Milk at an outdoor stand in our neighborhood:

Unlike in Japan, for example, where entire mountains can be a sea of oranges, reds and yellows, on Dasyueshan the 紅葉 could only be seen here and there. We frequently came across cars and scooters parked along the side of the road, with drivers, riders and passengers gathered round to take pictures of a single tree:

 

 

Amber had a great time collecting leaves, berries and pine cones, and throwing pine needles up in the air:

 

 

Father and daughter at T'iench'ih pond 天地:

We saw plenty of these birds, the White-whiskered Laughingthrush 玉山噪鹛, about:

What we didn't see from an observatory located at the 2600-meter (8530 feet) elevation level was a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains, but we did get to enjoy a lot of fog:

The view improved down at 2275 meters (7463 feet):

 

 

Then things really started to clear up as we continued down the road back to Dongshi:

Back on level ground, and wanting to get away from the usual late afternoon/early evening Sunday traffic gridlock on Fengshi Road 豐勢路, we took a side street near Chung-cheng Park 中正公園 and came across this festival scene:

Like some kind of strange hybrid of Taoism 道教 and "It's A Small World", sights like this one appear from time to time, but for what reason, I have no idea. Back in the days when we were dating, Pamela took me to a similar festival, which I recall mainly for the hundreds of dead pigs laid out on a long table in front of the bright animatronics. There was a distinct lack of swine this time, as the video below shows:

A fitting end to a day of 紅葉, Taiwan-style!

J-Poop

I admit it - I'm a Japanophile 親日. I've been one ever since my college days, when I took an Introduction to Japanese History class and an upper-level seminar on the Edo Period 江戸時代. Being an admirer of many things Japanese doesn't mean having to put on the blinders - I would never condone or excuse what was carried out by the Imperial Japanese military forces, and I've never bought the so-called "cultural justification" argument that the pro-whaling side likes to throw around. You may have also noted that I said "many", and not "all", things Japanese just a moment ago - my interest in Japan doesn't encompass zen 禅, martial arts 格闘技, anime アニメ, manga 日本の漫画 or J-Pop, for example. On the subject of the latter, I have posted below in its entirety an article (originally published in Metropolis magazine, and appearing today on the Japan Today website) by Dan Grunebaum, entitled "Does J-pop really suck?":

"Coming second only to teeth sucking, J-pop is the one aspect of Japanese culture that Westerners love to hate. And let’s be honest, there are plenty of good reasons to loathe it: the talentless 'tarento' タレント, the excruciating English, and the indentured servitude of artists and gangland connections that characterize the industry, to name just a few.

But does the music itself really suck? I’ve long felt there was something else going on. In fact, a better question might be: why does J-pop grate so much on Western ears?

I suspect one reason J-pop irritates people is that, superficially, it resembles Western pop. It’s got the sampled beats and synth lines we’re accustomed to, as well as familiar production values.

And yet it’s all somehow wrong. J-pop relentlessly confounds our expectations. Melodies seem to start off in the same spot as in Western pop, but invariably end somewhere we didn’t expect, making us feel that a promise to speak our musical language has been betrayed. The contours are different: they’re based not on the major or minor but on pentatonic scales, and there’s no blue note. What’s more, the thin vocal timbres that seem so pleasing to the locals prove insufferable to Westerners raised on the full-throated likes of Aretha Franklin and Beyoncé.

Recent research detailed in books like Philip Ball’s "The Music Instinct" suggests that, as with language, people acquire a sense of musical 'syntax' at a very young age, creating neural pathways that soon become entrenched. This can make it as difficult for adults to 'get' foreign music as it is to learn a foreign language.

Since the frame of reference for J-pop is its Western trappings, we’re predisposed to judge it by Western standards. But maybe that’s a mistake: rather than a poor imitation of 'our' pop music, J-pop may well be different at a more basic musical level.

One clue is that East Asians, who share a common musical heritage with Japan, appear predisposed to like it. Ayumi Hamasaki 浜崎あゆみ can fill stadiums in China but registers not even a blip in the Americas or Europe. J-pop stars like Hikaru Utada 宇多田ヒカル who have tried to make it in the West fall flat even with English-language albums.

On the other hand, the bands that succeed in the West are often exotic or seemingly so, be it the Kodō drummers 鼓董 or Boredoms ボアダムス. The 'problem' with J-pop is that it’s too close to Western music to be exoticized, making the differences grate all the more.

While 'Cool Japan' continues to sell well in Western countries, its successes have mainly been in the visual realm: anime, cosplay コスプレ, art, butoh 暗黒舞踏, and so on. Visual 'language' appears to be far more universally accessible, and a musical equivalent to the overseas success of Takashi Murakami 村上隆 and Hayao Miyazaki 宮崎駿, or even a reprise of Kyū Sakamoto’s 坂本九 1963 U.S. number one “Sukiyaki” 上を向いて歩こう may be some time coming.

The further away a nation is culturally, the more difficult it is to learn its language or enjoy its music. The West’s encounter with Asian music is recent, and like Asian tongues, it’s difficult to get to grips with. I’ve been here long enough to learn a fair bit of Japanese, and even come to enjoy a smattering of J-pop (note: there’s a lot of other Japanese music I like), but I’ll probably never 'get' either like the natives do.

All of which brings me back to that original question: does J-pop actually suck? Well, the Japanese music industry might, but whether the actual music does is a more problematic issue. Your answer may say more about you, where you come from and whether you believe objective standards can be applied to culture, than the quality of the music itself."

Grunebaum makes some interesting points, but I'm not sure I buy his whole argument. After all, if learning to like another country's music is like learning to speak its language, then why is it that the Japanese are notoriously poor at speaking English, yet are huge fans of American and British popular music (not to mention jazz and classical)?

I do agree, however, that there are cultural factors involved in my failing to appreciate J-Pop. I've always felt the Japanese language wasn't suited to the constructs of Western popular songs. Lyrics are either crammed into short verses, or stretched out with syllable stresses coming in unexpected places (Mandarin, on the other hand, tends to sound better in the Western pop format). Such vocalizations can make J-Pop singers sound like enka 演歌 crooners at times.

So does J-Pop suck? Yes, in the same way so much of Western pop music bites the big one. For the most part, it's over-produced, assembly-line "product", disposable songs sung by equally disposable artists. It isn't for nothing that virtually every J-Pop tune has a 20-second intro to allow the patrons at karaoke boxes カラオケボックス time to hand over the microphone to the next singer. Like virtually all examples of popular culture around the world, Japan is no different when it comes down to appeals to the lowest common denominators.

However, not wanting to sound like an out-of-date curmudgeonly elitist (even if I am one), there are popular Japanese songs that I do like. "Shima Uta" 島唄, by The Boom, is one beautiful example:

This classic rocker from the 1970's, by the Sadistic Mika Band サディスティク・ミカ・バンド, used to be played often on my college's radio station, KDVS 90.3 FM:

I have to admit I've found it hard to resist Puffy, and their classic "Asia no Junshin" アジアの純真:

And to give my host country its due, here's a video by Taiwan's top diva, A-Mei 阿妹:

A vote for...?

At last, the special elections for the new direct-controlled municipalities 直轄市 are over, and relative peace and quiet has returned to the land (though on Sunday, the day after the balloting, the winners drove through our neighborhood thanking the voters, and setting off what sounded like M-80's). In the aftermath, the analysts have stepped in to pontificate on the results, with the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ joining the fray in Wednesday's edition:

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FOR THE KMT 

"Local elections in Taiwan are considered a bellwether for national politics. By that standard, the Kuomintang 中國國民黨 (KMT), the ruling party on the island, should be feeling good. KMT candidates won three of five mayoral seats in the local elections held Saturday. While a lot can change between now and 2012, when the next round of national elections are to be held, President Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 appears to have a mandate to continue his opening to China — as long as that policy boosts the Taiwan economy."

Many observers in the Western media are trumpeting the same line, that the ruling party has been given a green light to pursue closer ties with China, but this armchair pundit has his doubts, for the following reasons:

1.) As the American saying goes, "All politics is local", and Taiwan is no exception. I didn't see the acronym "ECFA" 海峽兩岸經濟合作架構協議 plastered on any of the candidates' numerous billboards;

2.) The voting results were split along the usual north/south axis, with those elections that took place north of the Zhuoshui River 濁水溪 going in favor of the blue side, while the greens, not surprisingly, did well in their solid south;

3.) While the Japan Times notes "The stock market has risen 12 percent since the ECFA was signed and the economy grew 9.8 percent in the third quarter (compared to the previous year), the fourth consecutive quarter of expansion...there is no mistaking the economic payoff from Mr. Ma's approach", it's still far too early to notice any benefits that may arise from the agreement between China and Taiwan. The economic impact probably won't begin to be felt until next year. The political effect, unfortunately, won't be known until much later.

To their credit, the JT editorial writers note the successes of the Democratic Progressive Party 民主進步黨 at the polls:

"DPP supporters see reason for hope as well. Their party actually won more votes in the five races, claiming 49.87 percent of aggregate votes cast versus the KMT's 44.52 percent (the remainder went to independents). In fact, KMT votes dropped in all five cities compared to the 2008 presidential race. Second, while losing three of the races, DPP candidates did well in KMT strongholds, another indicator that the party is gaining strength. The shooting of the son of former KMT Vice President Lien Chan 連戰 on the eve of the ballot galvanized KMT supporters; without that incident, the DPP would likely have done better still...Finally, while DPP chair Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 lost to KMT mayoral candidate Eric Chu 朱立倫 in Xinbei City 新北市, that defeat frees Ms. Tsai to run for president in 2012 unencumbered by charges that she would be 'abandoning' her post. Her party's strong showing and its recovery since the 2008 shellacking at the polls further validates her leadership and positions her as the front-runner to claim the 2012 nomination for the presidency. "

The Japan Times editorial does a good job summing up what lies ahead:

"In many ways, the critical factors shaping Taiwanese politics are beyond the control of Taiwanese. If Beijing manages to slow its economy — fears that the mainland is overheating are growing — then Taiwan will feel the reverberations and slow as well. Moreover, an aggressive Chinese foreign policy, with nationalist overtones, could unsettle the KMT for two reasons. First, frustration with the pace of rapprochement across the strait could build and hardliners in China could demand more progress and faster. That would be a mistake, but in the lead-up to the 2012 leadership transition in Beijing — 2012 is a big year for both sides of the strait — caution is unlikely to be a winning strategy. Second, and in a related vein, Beijing's recent forceful diplomacy is likely to alarm moderates in Taiwan. While focused on its neighbors, Chinese muscle-flexing could be the prelude to a harder line against Taiwan. Such an approach would likely undermine support for Mr. Ma, his policies toward China and his party as well. Unfortunately, there is little sign that such concerns carry much weight in councils in Beijing. Taiwanese politics are mercurial in the best of times. With both sides taking solace from these elections, the stage is set for a spirited — and likely bitter — contest for the 2012 ballot. The chief question for the rest of the world is how China will react to Taiwan's democratic politics. Its record to date is mixed and the prospect of its own transformation does not inspire much hope."

I won't be making any bets on the outcome of the 2012 election. As Barack Obama can tell you, an awful lot can happen in politics over a two-year period.

Kendō Monkeys

Beautiful weather makes for great hiking, and so do monkeys. Seconds into the start of my walk up Dakeng's 大坑 No. 3 Trail, I encountered a small group of Formosan macaques 台灣獼猴 foraging amongst the foliage. Climbing over the railing to get a better look might not have been a good idea, as it made at least one of them annoyed enough to start approaching me, but it turns out a camera flash makes for an effective deterrence. With all the moving around in the dense undercover, it was impossible to get any decent photographs, with the two shots below the best I could do...:

...but, with no offense to any literally-minded Christians out there (OK, offense intended), it was great having a close encounter with our nearest relatives.

Following my nearly three-hour excursion up the No. 3 and down the No. 4, I rode into downtown Taichung 台中 to check out a Japanese-era kendō 剣道 dōjō 道場 that I had heard about from Andrew Kerslake (of Taiwan in Cycles). Located close to the intersection of Linsen 森林路 and Sanmin 三民路 Roads, the building is a beautiful example of colonial-period architecture. The original martial arts building was constructed in August 1912, before being replaced by a cement brick building in 1930. Half of the interior is covered with tatami 畳 mats, and was used for jūdō 柔道 training, while the exposed wooden flooring was intended for kendō practice:

There are also two wooden buildings, one adjacent to the practice hall, and the other directly behind it. The rear building serves as a museum, though it was undergoing some final touches by workmen when I took off my shoes and had a look inside:

A banyan tree stands tall among the old structures:

The area around the martial arts compound has a number of Japanese-era homes, but, sadly, most are in a state of disrepair. This green house below was a happy exception, and had just been used as a setting for a couple's wedding photographs when I stumbled across it:

A tip of the hat to the Taichung city government for not letting ideological considerations get in the way of historical preservation. And a big thanks to Andrew for telling me about this. However, I must respectfully disagree with his explanation:

"Its significance in Taiwan is that it was used to prepare Taiwanese school children to learn the militarism necessary to fight for the emperor."

Actually, as a couple of plaques on-site make clear, these buildings served as a training center for guards at the Taichung Penitentiary (which was built on the same grounds in 1895). Even today, kendō is an important part of training for many police officers in Japan. After all, it instills discipline, builds stamina, develops a sense of timing and comes in handy for those who must wield a baton or a stick in their line of work. Though kendō was banned in Japan after World War II by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces (SCAP) 連合国軍最高司令官総司令部 (as were all other martial arts), the proscription was short-lived, and by 1950 it was allowed to be practiced again. For more on kendō, follow the Wikipedia link.

Thanksgiving

Yes, it's that time of year again, at least for Americans. In Taiwan, of course, this day isn't a holiday, but we were still able to have a turkey dinner this evening at an expatriate bar/restaurant in Taichung 台中. Amber seemed especially satisfied with the meal. As this day is meant to be a time of reflection, I have a lot to be thankful for. While the last ten years or so certainly haven't progressed in the manner in which I had hoped (and in some areas, there has been virtually no progression), I realize things could be much, much worse. I have a wonderful family, I've gotten to know a lot of great people (though, sadly, a couple of them are no longer with us), and I've had the chance to do things and go places that many others will never get. No matter where you are in this world, or what your passport has stamped on its cover, I wish all of you a happy thanksgiving in the truest sense of the word.

写真

A couple of pictures taken on my way home from the pool this afternoon:

In the news

In a move that is sure to generate yet another unintentionally hilarious China Post editorial fulmination, it's "Japan eyes doubling ground troops on islands close to China, Taiwan", courtesy of Japan Today:

"The Defense Ministry 防衛省 is considering doubling the number of ground troops deployed in Okinawa 沖縄 and other Nansei islands 南西諸島 in southwestern Japan close to China and Taiwan to 4,000 by 2014 under its basic defense program to be updated at the end of this year, defense sources said Sunday. In the new National Defense Program Outline, the full strength of the Ground Self-Defense Force 陸上自衛隊 would be stipulated as 157,000, the sources added. The figure is less than the 168,000 personnel stated in the ministry’s initial plan but 2,000 more than the current 155,000. The new troops will be deployed in the islands as part of Japanese efforts to step up vigilance against China, which has been increasing naval activities in areas around the Nansei Islands, a chain of islands stretching from southern Kagoshima 鹿児島 to Okinawa prefectures near Taiwan. Tension grew between the two countries following collisions in September between a Chinese trawler and Japanese patrol vessels near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島, which are also claimed by China."

The sight that greeted me this morning...

...when I opened the door to check on my daughter:

Play ball

Sports are in the news now in Taiwan, but for all the wrong reasons, as the country reacts with disbelief and fury over the disqualification of Taiwanese taekwondo athlete Yang Shu-chun 楊淑君 at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Rather than throw my two cents-worth into the maelstrom of anti-Chinese and anti-Korean conspiracy theories, I'll refer you to an article in the Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売 about baseball, that shared national pastime among the USA, Japan and Taiwan. The veteran baseball writer Jim Allen, in his regular Hot Corner column, has a piece on efforts being made in Japan to expand the grand old game in the international market, with a large part of the article referring to Taiwan ("Taiwan next stop on road to future"):

"...Nippon Professional Baseball 日本プロ野球 Commissioner Ryōzō Katō 加藤良三 met with his counterparts from Australia, South Korea and Taiwan in September. As a result of that meeting, Taiwan has offered to host a revived Asia Series in November 2011. The club championship started in 2005 and was held at Tōkyō Dome 東京ドーム four times. 'It's been our goal to unite Asian baseball,' Richard Wang, the secretary general of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League 中華職業棒球大聯盟, told The Hot Corner by phone on Tuesday. 'From many years ago, we had a dream of having a champion of the Asia Series play against the major league champion.' Taiwan makes an interesting setting for the Series' revival, considering the CPBL is undergoing its own rebirth nine months after being rocked by a massive game-fixing scandal. 'It [the scandal] was somewhat of a disaster,' Wang said. 'But since then, we've gotten great support from the Taiwan government's baseball revival plan. We had trust issues. Baseball had been tainted with bad influences.' Wang says the government's recognition of pro baseball's role in the nation has been crucial. 'It's not just from government policy, but from law enforcement,' he said. 'This is so helpful to keep the bad things away from baseball.' Wang believes the more visible government role will make it easier to secure sponsors. 'More than just getting their names out in public, companies will see involvement with baseball as a positive thing,' he said.

As a crucial part of today's baseball business, sponsorship - or the lack of it - can make or break a venture. The Asia Series began as the Konami Cup and for three years participating teams reaped the rewards of the sponsorship deal. In 2008, the tournament operated without Konami's コナミ cash and hasn't been played since. In the meantime, Japan's champion and the winning team from the Korean Baseball Organization have squared off in a single game. A year ago, the Yomiuri Giants 読売ジャイアンツ beat the KIA Tigers in Nagasaki 長崎. On Saturday, the Chiba Lotte Marines 千葉ロッテマリーンズ defeated the SK Wyverns at Tōkyō Dome before a crowd of 32,743. The strong gate ensured a profit, but was more a reflection on the Marines' fanatic local following than an indication of the tournament's popularity. 'Making money is good,' Wang said. 'But we need to build this Asian Series. It's our goal to unite Asian baseball. In the process, we try to make money.' A challenge for the 2011 tournament, will be finding a way to include a team from Australia, a difficult prospect considering the Australian Baseball League's schedule begins in early November, just as the Japan Series 日本選手権シリーズ is ending. Teams from Taiwan and South Korea already have to wait until the Japan Series ends in early November to meet Japan's champions. To make international competition work, there needs to be coordination and compromise among teams and leagues, particularly in the touchy area of scheduling. It isn't going to be easy, but when individual owners believe their operations will benefit from baseball having a higher international profile, they will jump on the bandwagon like nobody's business."

It's a good article, and one hopes the professional leagues in the various countries will be able to bring about a revival of the Asia Series. There are many obstacles to holding a true World Series with the Major League champion, however. The season is long enough as it is, and MLB is talking about expanding the playoffs further, starting in 2012. The MLB Players Association would also have to be involved in any negotiations to bring about a trans-Pacific championship.

As for Taiwan, Wang sounds very optimistic on the issue of gambling, but considering all the controversies that have beset the league since its formation in 1989, it's doubtful the specter of game-fixing has gone away.

Random pics

While having to take care of some personal matters in Taichung 台中 this afternoon, I managed to squeeze in a 2½ hour walk in Dakeng 大坑. Here are a few random photographs taken today:

 

Why bother with all that hiking when you can just drive up to the top of the Dakeng No. 3 Trail?

 

ケムシ

 

I have no idea what kind of establishment "Pretty Wife Eat Cheese" is, but if I'm not mistaken, the Chinese is either "Jellyfish ("Shuimu" 水母) eat cheese" or "Medusa eats cheese"

 

Better be good around this temple, because the god is keeping watch over the neighborhood