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Asking nothing in return vol.1


When people says "I'll do it for you" "We'll do it for the people, for the society, for the earth ...", I often see real motive, like "they do it for their own interest", behind it. Then I really disappointed with it. That's my everyday life here in Japan.


Years ago, Japanese government's promoted buying the brand-new products of certain makers with cash assistance for consumer. The government said it's a promotion for changing the old products to the new low energy consumptive one.
Sounds like ecological.
But think about it in case of the car market. If they rally want to reduce emission, they should give a tax reduction for the well maintained old car owner for example. Should make an effort to reduce the number of car itself or make a cheap and good public transportation service.
"Modal shift is necessary in a future" Once the politician often said. But now nobody remember the words. What's the modal shift? The numbers of trucks are apparently increasing. The numbers of car also increase in several times compare to my childhood. On the pretext of environmental protection, politicians, economic lobbies and recycle companies try to get a profit from it. it's what I see behind the beautiful slogan.


I get more when I watch the trivial things. A public library says "Preparing for coming electric shortage we put the only half lights on" I think they want to lower the electric cost which has been rising after the Fukusima. Why don't they put the message in honest "Because of city financial crisis, we turn off the lights" So maybe we, the citizen, get the chance to think about both city finance and Japan's expensive erectricity.
The issue of rubble disposition with the tsunami disaster as well, Japan's government asked for accepting the rubble to local governments all over the country. Many cities rose their hand for helping out without any return, I thought so. However the municipalities got huge money from the government. After all the government distribute the budget for the recovery to the municipalities so far away from the epi-center.
Oh, I got another example. The package of instant food says "We reduce the calories for your health" Although the meaning in truth is "We reduce the contents for our cost cut" No, it's too trivial. (lol)
There are people who come close with tempting words whichever in business or everyday life. However at some point I see their true motive behind, their calculation. I really disgusting the moment. Then I sneak away from them. One day I noticed I have no friend around. (lol) I need broad mind for surviving in this world.


Generally speaking, we Japanese are selfish although there are some exceptions. We think where our interest lies before social or communal benefit. Look at the Nuke policy after Fukushima. "We never want to have the sad experience more. Once the accident's happen it destroys the environments" If we think like that, our goal must be only one. No arguments. Say "Good bye" to the nuk energy. However we have the arguments whether we keep the Nuke plant or not. Why? Because each person calculate each profit for itself. Ironically, the eco-country's glit is off with Fukushima accident. In Japan always "me" comes first.


So what's the love asks nothing in return. Must be the one between a family. However in Japan the family system itself is shrinking. The strong ties between office colleagues is diminishing. The local community's almost broken down. I just wonder to what extent I can live alone, without any help?
Sometime I play in the imagination of black joke. "When I'm dying on the street, which people give the hand to me?" I never expect for Japanese. So I recall communities which I've ever visited. May be the old city of San Sebastian (Spanish Basque) or Tivaouane (Senegal)? Juarez (Mexico)? umm .... no. I seriously imagine in detail.


At such time I decided Iran as a next destination of my travel. Iran ... whose people are very nice and kind, I heard. It would be the closest people to my ideal.


Nov. 2013



Today's piece
" Family portrait " Mahan, Iran 2013




fumikatz osada photographie