The Manner of International Exchange

“Hikari-Renaissance” which a sagacious director of Osaka City Government (he has been away from the project long ago) and I started in 2002, has become thoroughly big event in Osaka recently.  And until 2008, I have mainly been producing “The World Linking Tree from Drøbak, NORWAY –symbol of peace, love and friendship-” which is one of sublime 4 Norwegian Christmas Trees as the traditional gift from Norway to abroad authorized by Norwegian Government. 

However suddenly I was completely away from the project from this year, because of a certain reason by following man. Even that, it was filled with deep emotion for me the event is so popular among citizens of Osaka, and many tourists to enjoy it, as I mentioned in this blog last year.

But now at the end, I have to disclose silly matters which is very ashamed for us Osaka citizen, and very discourteous for Norwegian people.  Since we found it last year, I and some friends of Drøbak, Frogn, Norwegian local commune have been pretended not to see it, because of avoiding influences upon honest concerned people. But in this winter “again” we began to be afraid of causing the problem by one e-mail from a officer of Osaka City government in charge of Hikari Renaissance 2010 to Mayor of Frogn commune.

Directly to say. An officer of Osaka City government had the friendship exchange program with nothing notice to partner city.  He had small “Osaka-Frogn Exchange Tree” which mentioned “memorial of exchange since 2002”, but Frogn side had not informed at all.  And what is worse, the tree was decorated as cheaper toys and ribbons, which was very far from traditional Norwegian tradition, especially for Drøbak, Frogn as sending Christmas Tree to Berlin and Osaka(ever) as sublime meaning “symbol of Peace, Love and Friendship” under the official authorization by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As well as you know well as Novel Peace Prize, “PEACE” is very special word for/from “Norway”.  It’s so discourteous for Norwegian side and so ashamed for Osaka citizen.  I would like to say “very sorry” to all the Norwegian nations as one of Osaka citizen.

And also this year, he has planed to have same project. Only difference of this year, he suddenly sent a mail to Mayor of Frogn in middle of November. However the content is just one way proposal,

"………we will plant trees in the park which locates just south to the City Hall and decorate them with illumination during the HIKARI renaissance period. ……… I can send some pictures to you after the events end. Please look forward to seeing them…" 

We thought it’s not proposal of exchange, but only a kind of command to acknowledge his own event, and so were afraid of happening last year’s nightmare. As far as my confirmation, it was only his arbitrary activity, therefore almost concerned people of Osaka City government and Osaka Hikari Renaissance Executive Committee don’t know such an ashamed matter. Therefore it is not true his mails “We”, but “I” only.

After the receiving the mail, Mayor of Frogn replied again and again not to accept his proposal. But the reply from him is mentioned “you  misunderstand..” The opening day of Osaka Hikari Renaissance is 11^th December, I heard. The day would come soon.. For those reason, I decided to disclose it. I, and also most of concerned people don’t understand why and what he is thinking so at all. However I heard it is probably revenge attacks against me because he was scolded by Mayor of Osaka connecting with my proposal letter to Mayor about Mayor’s misunderstanding at the lighting ceremony in 2008.

Would you please compare photo of his one way exchange tree with our original “The World Linking Tree as symbol of Peace, Love and Friendship”?

Even it’s a small and uninteresting things for unrelated people, however we all the people all over the world have to respect each other, and have to do anything with polite manners, especially “inter-nation”, I think strongly. If not, “Peace, Love and Friendship” will not come forever on our blue planet.

Therefore, for spreading over the concept “Peace, Love and Friendship”, we are now trying to bring “The World Linking Tree” to new suitable site……

Silver wedding Memorial in Norway

Even it's bit old matter, in the beginning of May, I took my wife to Norway for the memorial travel of our 25th anniversary of wedding.  I have visited Norway over 50 times because of my life work, "The World Linking Tree from Norway" since 1994. However for my wife, this time is quite the first time to visit Norway.  Therefore I took her to Bergen, Fjord area, and Oslo, Drøbak where is my second home town.
 In this time, I was so surprised that the most of water fall of Fjord area is still freeze.
Even famous waterfall at Kjostfossen was completely freeze. Please compare with another photo, this is same place in September 2004 when I visited with my daughter for the TV filming of NRK, Norwegian national TV station. I heard this winter to spring is historical freeze in Norway. Maybe this is also one of effects of global warming.

Talking of TV filming, in this time also I was filmed by same director.  In this time, he would like to make the documentary story of "a Japanese guy trying to bring "symbol of Peace" to Hiroshima and Nagasaki".  In the beginning of filming, I thought it would only within one hour interview.  But after starting, it took almost whole day from the morning until 20 o’clock. And more at the forest in Drøbak, he prepared rail equipment!! as following photo.

I’m so grateful for his full-scale filming, and cross my fingers the program will be on air, and anyone approves of my symbol of peace will appear.

However, I have to excuse my wife… because she was completely in the accommodation on my filming day.”Sorry!”. 
Last 1st of December, it was our 26th wedding memorial day. I'm so grateful for my kind wife, and my patience????

Japanese English

  Now I'm working about making name of a project and concept.  The Client needs "cool" and "intellectual" naming, I heard.  Always I work thin kind of work, I keep in my mind to use correct English, for the sake of English, American and people using English ordinarily don't feel strange.
 In Japan, there are flood of strange English words, not only pronunciation but also naming as text. Because most of Japanese very loves "English name" as good feeling especially sound.(not only English, but also French, Italian.... without distinguishing...)  Therefore we, working in marketing and communication are often requested "compound word in English" and have produced strange Japanese English Words. The funny Masterpiece is, "Terminal Hotel" situated at big railway station, "mansion"(means apartment house even has only 3 rooms), "Wiener Coffee" (of course without sausage... means Vienna coffee), "bite"(means part timer...came from German's "Arbeit"....but "Arbeit" means "Work".),"consent"(means socket/outlet...I don't know why "consent" has become such meaning)......
 Of course for myself, every time I worry about writing and speaking using my poor English. (sorry, this blog is so poor too.... precisely for this reason, I decided to write English Blog for my own study) Especially always I worry about "preposition", to, for, on, at, in, into........ However even such a poor English, I would like not to make strange "Japanese English" at all times.  
 In this time also, I proposed some compound words using correct English.  But finally, the general producer of this project adopted his own idea, using bit strange English". It seems important for him not correct as English, but "sound" and feeling.
 I thought like that, the "flood" has flown all over Japan today.
 I hope Japanese next generation to correct such ashamed habit in the future.

Toward where the "Communication System" will go?

I've finished remaking my company's web site. However it's so hectic to check it running exactly depend on PC OS and browser, windows, mac.... especially, it's so difficult to fit major "Internet Explorer" using "Ajax".
By the way, sometime I bit worry how will be the communication system among us, human beings.  Absolutely, it has become so convenient to contact with someone to use E-mail, ....etc.,especially to contact about with anyone abroad.  But on the other hand, I think it is right way or not??.....to communicate among us. Somewhere in my mind, I believe that we living creature which can be lived by warm blood, must communicate by more analog way.... talk directly each other with laughing, anger, and tears.....  Because I always feel how important "heart-warming" exchange with someone.
After 50 years, maybe the answer will be clear.  How do you think?

my company new site,
http://www.candm-intl.com

The Legend of Amanokawa, Milky Way Galaxy on the bridge!

　"Heisei Osaka Amanokawa Densetsu",(the legend of Milky-way) is produced by my senior, Mr.Yoshihiro Harano when I was a member of Marketing Communication Center Inc., therefore I have participated with the project as creative director. On December 19th, as the concerned event, there was "Nakanoshima Garden Bridge, Wishing upon a Illuminated Bridge".  It's also volunteer work for us, I thought to join from the construction works.  However because of heavy stresses since Autumn, at last I have restarted "smoking habit"..... Maybe that reason, I feel bit irregular pulse sometime, and finally I have got "Doctor Stop" for physical work, sport... (and making love....). Therefore I only worked as photographer on that day.

 This event is getting the attendants of Hikari Renaissance come and used this unknown bridge, for the sake of gathering people for restaurants and hotel at other side of the river.  However even for local habitant me, have ever used 2 or 3 times in my 50 years lifetime!!  Therefore I bit worried in fact.

 However on that day, not so many but enough attendants came and joined the activity to put the "Inori-Boshi (wishing star)" on the bridge, and looks like this!  The holder was  satisfied with "Milky-ways" on the bridge.....

 This project "The Legend of Amanogawa" using these LED balls named "Inori-Boshi" is very useful to apply various cases, it's so nice!!  Not only summer but also winter, not only on the water but also on the ground..... anyway, anywhere, anytime...

 Mr.Harano, producer would like to spread this project all over Japan, and the world. For me as creative director, because of responsibility for my own naming "The Legend of.....Amanogawa", I have to do my best until the project will be actual "The Legend"!

 Incidentally, the main project around Tenma-bashi Area on July 7th, got "The Special Prize" of "Osaka Vital Power Grand Prix 2009" held by Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Can you feel heart-warming lights in Osaka?How bigger grow ups of "renaissance" of lights is!

Yesterday, even so cold 6°C specially in Osaka Japan almost like February, "Osaka Hikari Renaissance 2009" was so crowded.....with over 2 million attendants, I heard. To confess the truth as a blowing own horn, This project was original produced by myself in 2002 as "Midosuji Hikari Renaissance".

 In those days, Osaka City Government was worried about "Midosuji Illumination" along Midosuji, main boulevard in Osaka.  Because it was beautiful, but has no place where the attendance could enjoy watching, eating...etc, only illumination along the street.  And also there had big problem about the dirty side of..... And then, I was appointed as the general producer of the renewal project. Therefore I constructed and proposed the quite  new concept, to have festive events around city hall in Nakanoshima Island, looked like "Île de la Cité" in Paris. And my master plan was bit "tricky" that several main events were produced by own Executive Committee as holder, and to gather joint auspices to want to join under the unified concept "Illumination renaissance for reborn of 'Vital Osaka City'". Because of this method, it looks more bigger project as actual budget itself.

 Nevertheless in 2002 as the first year, of course it was so difficult to gather such joint auspices because of unknown project then. And also... even the holder side itself, Osaka City Government and Police Dept.... were very high wall for me to have new events at the public space out side. Never make sounds!, never blinking lights on the road!.....never either even putting up "notice sign board" of the lighting ceremony around city hall!!.  And I never forgot that "Maintenance and Works Dept. of City Hall" called me, "We would like to put off the Illuminations!!... because so many attendants gathered at City Hall!!... City Hall is not such a place to show on!!!"  ??? What are we doing now?? .... In those days, City Government of Osaka never think to have such a matter around own city hall.But, but in 209, what a surprise!! City Hall had "Cafe to serve alcohol drink" in it's lobby ... it was so popular!! It's completely and so magnificent changing of City Government. Spending 7-8 years is so valuable.

 However more than that, I think it was the dedicated efforts of Executive Committee Office members, especially staff of Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc.,. From 2003, they have been working to try enlarge the project year by year.

 At last, over 3 million attendants were gathered during period. Even it's pity that my own event,"THE WORLD LINKIG TREE form NORWAY -symbol of Peace, Love and Friendship" in front of City Hall has gone from this year because of several reasons, I'm so grateful for all the staff of the project.