Are falls increasing in Japan?5 answersFall-related mortality rates among older adults in Japan have shown varying trends over the years. A study analyzing data from 1997 to 2016 revealed an increase in fall-related deaths, with 78.8% involving individuals aged 65 years and above. While the younger population (65-74 years) displayed continuous and faster-decreasing trends, the mortality rates for those over 85 years remained high, posing challenges in reducing fall-related deaths in the super-aged population. Additionally, research on nursing home residents highlighted the association between falls and medication use, emphasizing the risks posed by various drug categories such as psychotropics, antithrombotics, and antidepressants. To address this issue, interventions like discontinuing unnecessary medications and providing adequate care have been suggested to prevent falls in nursing homes.
What parts of English Pronunciation do Japanese Students find difficult?5 answersJapanese students struggle with various aspects of English pronunciation. They face challenges in mastering suprasegmental aspects like syllables, stress, rhythm, and intonation due to the differences between Japanese (a mora-timed language) and English (a stress-timed language) pronunciation structures. Pronunciation anxiety is also a significant issue, influenced by contextual factors and self-presentational concerns, leading to self-doubt and anxiety among learners. Specifically, the phoneme /l/ poses a vexing challenge for Japanese students, especially when positioned between vowels or in consonant clusters, affecting their overall pronunciation accuracy. Additionally, the importance of an all-encompassing approach to pronunciation teaching, incorporating various strategies to address individual students' strengths and weaknesses, is highlighted to help Japanese learners achieve their language goals.
What is the current issue in japanese sign language?4 answersThe current issue in Japanese Sign Language (JSL) is the lack of naturalness in conventional technologies for displaying sign language sequences. These technologies are unable to depict all the relevant features of a natural signing sequence, such as facial expression, spatial references, and inter-sign movement, leading to poor acceptance among sign language speakers. To address this issue, researchers have been exploring the development of recognition systems and sign language image display systems. Some systems use computer graphics (CG) to synthesize sign language expressions, but they face challenges in creating expressions that involve nonmanual signals (NMS) and in freely synthesizing sentences. Other approaches involve collecting multimodal content information, such as high-resolution motion capture data and video data, to train deep neural network models for more natural sign language visualization.
What are some of the causes of the overworking culture in Japan?5 answersThe overworking culture in Japan can be attributed to several factors. One major factor is the Japanese people's willingness to tolerate poor living conditions in order to allocate maximum resources for industrial development. Additionally, the rapid urbanization of Japan since World War II has created a high demand for serviced urban land, leading to a focus on industrial development rather than improving living conditions. Another contributing factor is the extension of human lifespan, which has resulted in a decrease in the number of children and a lack of workforce. These social issues have led to a need for longer working hours and increased pressure on employees to meet the demands of the workforce. Furthermore, the pervasive and invasive nature of advertising in Japanese society may also contribute to the overworking culture, as it creates a culture of consumerism and materialism.
Should Japan change the constitution?4 answersJapan should consider changing its constitution due to the inherent tensions and controversies surrounding it since its inception. The debate over constitutional amendments has escalated in recent years, triggered by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's declaration of intent to change the constitution. The current constitution, drafted by American military officers during the occupation, has never been amended. Proposed revisions by the Liberal Democratic Party aim to reword the preamble and limit individual rights protection, expanding state power. However, some argue that amending the constitution could further democracy in Japan and allow for a greater promise of peace. The policy debate on constitutional revision considers the potential impact on Japan's military doctrines, alliance cooperation with the United States, military capabilities for UN operations, and regional relations in East Asia.
Why Japan lost innovation?5 answersJapan lost innovation due to a slowdown in technological progress during the 1990s, which led to a loss of competitiveness in exporting industries. The pace of innovation accumulation at Japanese listed firms has also slowed since the mid-2000s, resulting in a decrease in productivity growth and a decline in the efficiency of R&D investment. The perception exists that Japan lost its competitiveness with the USA and other countries because it fell behind in creating R&D-oriented companies and innovative start-ups. However, Japan has been quietly and gradually transforming through a pattern of "syncretism," characterized by the coexistence of new, traditional, and hybrid forms of strategy and organization. Efforts are being made to harness new forms of innovation from outside corporate borders, such as through collaborations with Silicon Valley and other startup ecosystems.