{"id":62034,"date":"2024-10-08T19:04:51","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T08:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/billmitchell.org\/blog\/?p=62034"},"modified":"2024-10-08T19:04:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T08:04:51","slug":"kyoto-report-2024-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/billmitchell.org\/blog\/?p=62034","title":{"rendered":"Kyoto Report 2024 \u2013 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Tuesday report will provide some insights into life for a westerner (me) who is working for an extended period at Kyoto University in Japan.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Well I am back in Kyoto for an extended period and it is unseasonably hot and humid for October.<\/p>\n

It seems that the warm weather will endure throughout October at least, which is a worrying sign.<\/p>\n

Although if one abstracts from what that means for the Globe and the long term the warm weather means early morning runs are really nice.<\/p>\n

I have been mostly just locked in my ‘office’ here trying to finish things off and I haven’t ventured out much yet other than for running in the morning and a few bike rides late in the afternoon after work.<\/p>\n

I live just near the Kamo river which runs down the east side of the city and segments what the locals call the ‘right’ and the ‘left’ part of the city.<\/p>\n

The ‘left’ part is where the progressives live and so I am happy to always be on that side of the river.<\/p>\n

The sound of the Kamo as it runs over the human-made waterfalls that are scattered along its course is really calming and one of the best things there is.<\/p>\n

There is a general election coming up in the weeks ahead which I am following closely.<\/p>\n

The biggest news out of today was the ‘touched up’ official photo of the new Cabinet.<\/p>\n

Here is the original that was published in a few newspapers (on left) and the official one that was later altered to head off a scandal.<\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n

There was a mini-furore going on about this.<\/p>\n

Social media contained statements such as “sloppy Cabinet”, or “dishevelled” as a result of the ‘white shirt’ exposure at the waist of the new Prime Minister and the new Defense Minister.<\/p>\n

Anyway, the official photo that was released later showed the ‘white’ bit gone and all is well in the world again.<\/p>\n

It would be better if they concentrated on the challenges facing the nation of which I am working on a book project that aims to give my take on those issues.<\/p>\n

The other striking aspect of the Cabinet makeup is the male domination.<\/p>\n

Only 2 of the 24 Cabinet Ministers are women.<\/p>\n

There were 5 women in Kishida’s 24-person Cabinet.<\/p>\n

Japan has not yet caught up with the trends elsewhere where female representation in the political decision-making process more closely reflects their demographic proportion.<\/p>\n

More next week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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