INTERNATIONALIZATION: rhetoric vs. real change (Feb. 1998) by Josephine Clark Internationalization is a term commonly heard on the street and in the Japanese media, but business people and educators are scrambling to adequately define it. The word can mean a hundred different things to a hundred different people, according to one member of Sapporo's business community. Akiko Kimura of the Sapporo International Communication Plaza Foundation sees internationalization as a holistic, all-encompassing concept. The foundation coordinates international exchange activities in Sapporo, including the recent United Nations disarmament conference. "In order to achieve internationalization in Japan, people must know about themselves, their history, and issues important to Japan, and they must be prepared to discuss them with those outside Japan," says Kimura. "The purpose of this is to be understood and to understand others. As Japan internationalizes, we better our economic opportunities and achieve more international cooperation." For teachers, internationalization means striking a balance between satisfying the changing demands of society and fulfilling their responsibilities to students. "Many high school and junior high school teachers eagerly teach students English, and some say that to master English is internationalization. But that is wrong," says Toshimi Kadowaki, a teacher in the English Language Department of Sapporo Kosei High School, one of Hokkaido's leading private high schools. He says learning English is simply a step toward internationalization, which he defines as building relationships with people from other countries. Before becoming a teacher, Kadowaki worked in Saudi Arabia for Marubeni Sekiyu. There he worked with companies from nine different countries on a series of dredging and wharf construction projects. In this situation, internationalization came to mean understanding attitudes and work ethics among other cultures, something particularly important when negotiating contracts. However, he says, "When money is involved, internationalization is very difficult." When asked what is needed in schools to produce graduates who are prepared for the international workplace, Kadowaki says emphasis has to be placed on public speaking and negotiation. He adds, however, that nothing is being done now or even being considered to improve students' skills in these areas, as teachers must prepare students for university entrance exams. "Exams take precedence over all else. It is our number one priority," he says. While fulfilling this role, Kosei manages to send some 20 to 30 students to Australia every year, in order to help them experience another culture. Teachers do not believe that the deeply embedded examination system will be altered any time soon. Ken Takebayashi, also an English teacher at Kosei, explains that universities require some procedure to objectively evaluate applicants. Tokyo University, which Takebayashi says is often the first in the country to institute procedural changes, must sift through papers from 15,000 students who sit the school's entrance exam every year. Establishing an efficient means of evaluating communication and negotiation skills for such a large number of students is not likely to happen in the near future. "Tokyo University is now considering implementing small changes in its entrance exam to test students' English communication ability," he says. "But it will take at least 10 to 15 years for other universities to follow." Kadowaki agrees, saying that students have trouble looking to the future under the current system. "Many students want to be active [in becoming international], but with [university exams] it is difficult for students to have future dreams. If the system changes, school systems will change." Drugs in Japan - The End of Denial... - (Dec. 1997) by Michael O'Connell Teen amphetamine abusers grabbed headlines this fall, threatening Japan's reputation as a drug-free Shangri-la among more decadent industrialized nations. A close look at the situation, however, shows a drug problem that embraces all ages, from students hooked on illegal stimulants to older Japanese addicted to legal prescription medications. Kids These Days... Year-on-year drug-related juvenile arrests in 1996 more than doubled, and a report released by the Ministry of Education in October found an alarming number of students amenable to experimenting with illicit substances. Increased availability and lax social attitudes are to blame, according to prevention experts. The Narita Airport Customs Office reports the volume of drugs smuggled into Japan (excluding marijuana) has been increasing, and in the decade following 1984, global seizures of heroin and cocaine doubled and tripled, respectively. As of 1994, Japan ranked fifth in the world for confiscation of illegal stimulants, after the U.S, Thailand, England and Australia, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. New ways of taking drugs also are making them more accessible. The practice of heating stimulants to inhale their vapors has freed speed from its frightening association with the hypodermic needle. Not Just Kid's Stuff Although "speeding" youngsters have ignited fears among the public, the mundane reality is that illegal drugs are just the tip of the addiction iceberg. Older Japanese hooked on legal drugs account for a significant proportion of addicts, according to Dr. Kenji Yanbe, a physician at Asahiyama Hospital in Sapporo. "In the last 15 years, overall, speed has been the major drug of addiction among my patients," he says. "But in the past three years, it's been changing to sleeping pills and other addictive legal drugs." Yanbe, whose hospital is one of the few in Sapporo that offers drug rehabilitation, notes that patients hooked on legal medications outnumber habitual users of amphetamines and other stimulants. A trip to a Japanese hospital suggests why. Patients suffering even the most minor of illnesses are given an arsenal of medicines. In a quest for profits, Japan's "medical-industrial complex," the cozy alliance of hospitals, health care officials and pharmaceutical manufactures, has created a budding drug culture. "Patients who are addicted to legal drugs got hooked after going to a hospital for treatment of a psychological or emotional disorder, such as insomnia or depression, "says Yanbe. Ripple Effect As for youngsters, what is most disturbing is their lukewarm reception to the government's "No, Absolutely No!" campaign, which is a hard sell in a "Just do it!" youth culture. According to the Ministry of Education's "White Paper on Primary and Secondary Students' Attitudes Toward Stimulants and Other Illegal Drugs," roughly 30 percent of secondary students do not consider drug use harmful to others and feel experimentation is a matter of personal choice. Those on the front line of Japan's drug war denounce this attitude. "There's a misunderstanding among young people who think that they wouldn't cause problems for others by using drugs," cautions Yanbe. "Drug addiction brings about unlimited trouble for people around the addict. If you say people use drugs by themselves and die alone, this may be so, but looking at the drug issue in this way is basically wrong." Yanbe notes that many of his female patients are divorced as a result of their drug habits, just on e example of rippling social repercussions. With more Japanese traveling overseas and more drugs entering the country of being produced here, the question of whether to experiment with controlled substances is no longer a theoretical one. Dai, a 24-year-old company employee, first tried illegal drugs as a student overseas. "When I was 17, I tried marijuana in Canada," he says, "But I didn't feel high because I thought it was a bad thing [to do]. If I went back, I'd try it again.... I did [psychedelic] mushrooms and hash. But that was in Canada.... Actually, I've smoked marijuana in Japan, too." A first-year high school student said he wasn't personally aware of anyone taking drugs at his elite public school, but "I've heard from my friends that some classmates abuse [prescription] medications. They buy them at the drugstore. I don't know what they're called, but when you take them you can't move. And at night in [Sapporo's] Odori Park, gangs sell cocaine and glue." "My friends here have tried drugs," notes a woman in her twenties," and my friends in Australia smoke marijuana. Most students in Japan have no knowledge, so the just try them." WAKE-UP CALL Educators and health care officials are reluctantly realizing that they must address the situation. An official of the Hokkaido Government's Health and Welfare Department explained that the prefecture is enlightening the public through the national "No, Absolutely No!" campaign by passing out pamphlets and holding a annual event in June. A representative of the Sports, Health and Physical Education Department of the Hokkaido Board of Education noted that the Health textbook approved by the Ministry of Education includes materials relating to drug abuse. But Sapporo secondary schools encouraged to distribute drug abuse prevention materials respond in a depressingly similar way, according to Shunichi Suzuki of the Sapporo City Health Hygiene Office. "They tend not to use them," Suzuki says. "Parent-Teacher Associations are particularly uncooperative. They object because they don't want the schools to have a bad image. And parents think that exposing kids to this information will only stir up curiosity to experiment with drugs." Parents worried about curiosity killing the cat are not aware that the cat is out of the bag. Information is already available through magazines, TV and from peers. Several Japanese internet homepages discuss the merits of legalizing marijuana, and one pro-drug Inter net site based in the US. even offers a "Drug Price Project Report" providing city-by-city details on the availability and quality of various drugs in dozens of countries - including Japan. Yanbe thinks that government attitudes mirror those of high school students. "[Students think] people only use drugs by themselves and can be responsible for the results of their actions," he says. "I think that the government may have this same attitude. It's a 'high school student' way of thinking, but I feel that the government may share this way of thinking." In this light, it is telling that the Ministry of Education study limited its focus to attitudes. The study failed to ask students whether they were actually using drugs. While Japan is slowly waking up to the issue of drug abuse, it is keeping one eye closed. You Can Beat It - Rehabilitation "Frankly speaking, the reason many hospitals don't want to treat drug addicts is because it's not profitable," says Dr Kenji Yanbe, a physician at Asahiyama Hospital in Sapporo. "In order to deal with the problem appropriately in the future, when it becomes more serious, we have to start making a system right now." According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, addicts are treated at one of three kinds of hospitals: those under the jurisdiction of mental health regulations, public mental hospitals established by the national government, and mental hospitals (public and private) with a psychiatrist specially designated by the national government. National Health Insurance pays for about 30 percent of treatment costs, with social welfare insurance covering another 20 percent Treatment consists of several steps First is cessation of use, which often involves withdrawal symptoms. This is followed by education about drugs and addiction. In group therapy, addicts talk about their history of using drugs. Under Japanese law, patients cannot leave without the doctor discharging them. Yanbe notes that virtually no addicts he treats come of their own will. "At Asahiyama Hospital, about 60 percent of patients are here at the urging of their families, " he says. "About 20 percent were referred by another port group. Ten percent were introduced by the Social Welfare Office, because they can't really work and they get welfare... Occasionally, school teachers suggest to their students or to their students' families that the kids come in." - with Hiiro Mujin, Kaoru Yamaguchi, Hiroko Fujisaki and Taketo Endo Arrested in Japan - One Man's Experience- by William Kennedy Enforcement of laws against drug use is regarded differently in different countries. Some prefer to concentrate on smugglers, others on suppliers. In Japan, personal use -- or even evidence of use -- is enough to send you to jail. For a foreigner who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, this meant a 40-day odyssey through the Japanese judicial system. "It has been dulled by time, but at the time it was very wild," remembers Scott, who spoke to Xene in a telephone interview from his home overseas. He agreed to the interview on the condition that his real name not be used. At the time of his arrest five years ago, he had been in Japan for two and a half years and had a good job in a city in western Japan. His arrest, he says, was of a friend when the police burst in sometime before sunrise. "I didn't know what the hell was going on, it was four o'clock in the morning," he says. The police were interested in his friend and had not expected to find Scott there. They tore the apartment apart looking for drugs, finding nothing to incriminate the friend. In broken English, an officer told Scott that he had to provide a urine sample. Under Japanese law, a suspect may refuse to answer police questions, but Scott was led to believe he had little choice in the matter. He was taken to a local police station, gave his sample and was released. Looking back, he says he was faced with a choice at the moment: he could leave the country immediately or wait to see what happened. When he returned from work the next day, the police were waiting for him. Traces of illegal drugs had been found in his urine. He was arrested and charged. "All of sudden, everything was gone. My job was gone, my family didn't know where I was, "he says. That night, he was questioned by police who wanted to know who had supplied him with the drugs found in his system. During the two-hour interrogation session, he had no lawyer to advise him. Under Japanese law, lawyers are not allowed to be present during questioning and finding one is the suspect's problem. If a suspect cannot find a lawyer, the case - and the questioning - continue. Several days later, he was transferred to a local detention center, where the interrogation resumed. The questioning was meticulous, says Scott, and every detail was recorded, but the police treated him very fairly, with none of the abuses international human rights groups have alleged take place in Japan. A week after his arrest, he was visited by a representative from the consulate. "He said there was nothing he could do. He just told me to hang in there." Consular officials from both Canada and the United States confirm that there is little they can do in most situations, other than ensuring that Japanese law is complied with. A spokesman at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo said that consular staff generally try to ensure that Canadians in trouble with the law are treated the same as Japanese prisoners. That may be small comfort to a prisoner in a Japanese jail, where the Japanese authorities make the decisions. "The consulate may be told [by a Canadian prisoner], 'My cell is cold,' but the authorities will say that all the cells are cold," he says. After several weeks, Scott finally decided to tell the police what he knew when his lawyer (found for him by friends) couldn't be sure that Scott, despite being a victim of circumstance, wouldn't receive the maximum two-year sentence for his offense. "I really didn't know how long it was going to be," he says. "I was a little worried they were going to make an example of me for other foreigners." It turned out that the person had already left the country and Scott's case rapidly came to a close. The judge assigned to Scott's trial at the last minute was known for his leniency and even an incompetent interpreter did little to hinder proceedings. He received a suspended sentence in s short trial, although he still cannot say exactly what he was convicted of, and feels the outcome was a foregone conclusion. He was allowed to remain in Japan for six months and now returns almost every year. "They let me slide through," he says. He realizes how lucky he was that his was such a minor offense and is philosophical about his experience, saying that he had been in Japan a while and knew he had broken the law." If there is a moral to be taken from this experience, he says, it is that foreigners must realize there are many things they can do in their countries that they can't in Japan. Traces of drugs in his urine landed him in jail for 40 days and almost cost him two years of his life. A representative of the American consulate in Sapporo echoes Scott's comment. "The best advice is not to get arrested in the first place." Gearing Up for Winter Biking (Dec. 1997) by Michael O'Connell There are two kinds of people: those who cycle in winter, and those who think winter cyclists are nuts. But even in snowy Sapporo, where I live, sub-freezing temperatures do not dissuade the hardy from two-wheeled transport. Winter Maintenance Of course, certain preparations are wise, starting with getting your bike in shape. As any motorist knows, brakes tend to lock on slippery surfaces. Cyclists can avoid this by loosening their brake cables slightly in winter, particularly the front cable. Most bikes have two levels of adjustment: a screw near the brake assembly or on the handlebar for fine adjustments (by finger), and a bolt for more radical tension changes (by finger), and a bolt for more radical tension changes (by wrench). Fine adjustments are usually sufficient. For smooth braking, wheel rims should wiped with a rag soaked in warm water and detergent. The detergent cuts through the oil that accumulates from dirty slush and snow (Never let an oily rag touch the rim or the brake pads.) In fact, it's a good idea to clean the whole bike at least once a month, as deicing materials wreak overall havoc with the machinery. A brush with long plastic bristles takes the mess out of this otherwise unpleasant task. Another brush is useful for keeping your chain free of ice. Another way to mitigate the effects of salt is to grease your gear and brake cables before installing them, or to spray a lubricant into the housings. This improves cable performance and helps prevent these systems from freezing up. Oiling your lock will keep it functioning properly. Visibility becomes a serious concern in snowy weather. Check your bike light batteries and don't skimp on reflectors. The latter should be mounted both perpendicular and parallel to the bike's direction of motion, for visibility from the front and side. If you expect to do much night riding or your city is prone to heavy snow, invest in flashing red lights. Shopping bike-style fenders will weigh your bike down, but they're a godsend in messy weather. Finally, lower the saddle so that you can put both feet on the ground while sitting. This takes a matter of seconds; simply hand-turn the screw found on the frame where the saddle shaft enters. Yes, this will slow your riding, but if the bike starts to come out from under you, it's much easier to regain your balance (particularly if you wear non-slip footwear). Spiked tires are recommended if you plan to ride significant distances. Winter Riding Just as drivers of cars alter their habits in winter,, so should cyclists. The key is concentration Always be on the lookout for ruts, uneven surfaces, black ice and those colorful but treacherous deicing pavements. On uphill sections, it's natural to stand up for extra power. In winter, however, this will cause the back tire to lose traction. Remain seated, or even scoot back on the saddle for better grip Keeping your tires at slightly less than full pressure will also improve traction by increasing the area of contact between tire and road. In rain and snow, pedestrians bury themselves in their umbrellas. Take extra care in these situations, and if you feel yourself being crowded, stick out your elbows to gain some breathing room. Sure, it's rude, but it's less unpleasant than getting an umbrella poked in your face by an oblivious walker. Finally, dress safely. Avoid hoods, which obstruct vision. Use a basket or a knapsack-style (two-strap) bag, which affords better balance than a single-strap shoulder bag. And watch the weather and road conditions. On the very worst days of the year, it may be wiser to settle for the train. New Concert Hall Dazzles (May 1997) by Y. Endo, M. O'Connell and K. Yamaguchi To most Japanese, Sapporo conjures up images of natural beauty, outstanding food, splendid recreation and affable people. But for all its strengths, Japan's fifth most populous city has also been called a cultural desert. To breath life into the parched artistic scene, the city has completed an international-caliber concert hall on the west side of Nakajima Park. Among the outstanding features of Sapporo Concert Hall are a 2000-seat arena-style hall, 450-seat shoe-box hall and one of Japan's finest pipe organs. "This is the first fully-equipped concert hall in Hokkaido," says Yoshiaki Sukenori, manager of the hall, which is nicknamed Kitara. "There are only a few cultural institutions in Sapporo at present, so we would like to raise the cultural standard of the city." Seventy concerts are planned each year, in addition to those of the Pacific Music Festival (PMF), one of the city's few venues of world-class fine arts. The festival, held every July, will serve as the centerpiece for the concert hall's programs. Initiated in 1990, the PMF has featured scores of celebrated musicians and groups, all who have come to perform and instruct rising young musicians of Pacific-rim nations, who audition to participate in master classes and concerts. Although Sapporo does have several existing performance halls, these venues have never been adequate for hosting major names, according to Sukenori. "Kitara was built as Sapporo's first real concert hall, because there was no such venue here," he explains. Among design features that ensure exemplary sound are walls that incorporate birch acoustical cloud. The pipe organ is the facility's standout feature. Nearly 5,000 pipes up to nine meters in length soar above the concert hall. Alfred Kern and Fils Manufacture D'Orgues of Strasbourg, France, handcrafted the instrument in that country, whereupon it was disassembled and transported here. Sixty-eight stops provide a rich range of tones from the 30-ton organ. The company has completed organs for the Shinjuku Culture Center in Tokyo and the Niigata Atorie music hall. Venues of this quality do not come cheap. The Sapporo City Assembly in 1994 appropriated, \1.9 billion for the project. A full \300 million of this went to the organ and its carriage. The project was planned and completed jointly by architect Mitsuyuki Miyabe of Hokkaido Kaihatsu Consultants, Takenaka-Komuten, Chizaki Kensetsu and other participants. Because the concert hall is nicknamed after the harp played by the Greek god Apollo, marble-clad columns were used in the lobby to recall this classical influence. The soaring ceiling and broad expanses of exterior glass, however, make for an undeniably modern overall effect. Thin marble sheets in one entranceway act like stained glass, filtering incoming light, and undulating motifs and angular surfaces create a striking interplay. Access ramps, removable seats and special lavatory facilities accommodate people with physical impairments. Because the city intends for concertgoers to arrive by public transportation, the site offers no public parking. The hall is seven minutes on foot from the Nakajima Park subway station and three minutes from the Nakajima Koen Dori streetcar stop. The walkways are lighted at night for visibility and, to facilitate all-season use, pavement heating was installed under park paths last year, in conjunction with general renovations. To promote optimum use of Kitara, a bar, cafe and restaurant serve customers regardless of whether a performance is scheduled. In addition, the small hall is available for rent by citizens. Cambodia's Wonders in the Jungle (Feb. 1997) by Michael O'Connell During Japan's cultural flowering of the Heian Period (794-1185), another civilization was at its awesome peak in a different corner of Asia. This state, the Khmer Empire, produced marvels in stone that can still be seen by the intrepid visitor to Cambodia. Although a volatile political situation had kept visitors to a trickle, things have improved since the United Nations oversaw democratic elections in 1993. Tourists who have come in recent years have been well rewarded by a friendly people, fine cuisine and peerless Khmer ruins. The temples at Angkor are by far the most popular attraction, covering 40 square kilometers in dramatic testament to the power of a bygone empire. At its height, the Khmer civilization extended its influence across the entire Indochinese peninsula, including portions of what are now Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Its capital of Angkor boasted 1 million residents - more than any European city at that time. This city (not to be confused with Angkor Wat, the most splendid of many structures in the temple complex) owes its appeal to how it fulfills romantic images of lost civilizations. Some temples have been left undisturbed and tropical trees ooze over stone like dripping honey. The dominant motifs are apsara (dancing women) and enigmatic smiling faces that seem to grow organically from the ancient stone. Visitors must pay a conservation fee of US$20 per day ($40 for three days) and hire a guide (US$6 per day), who in practice merely provides motorcycle transportation and advice about unsafe areas. If all roads lead to Angkor, all trips start from Phnom Penh. Border crossings into Cambodia are prohibited in the militarily unstable areas away from the capital, so air is your only way in. From Sapporo, your best bet is to fly through the neighboring Southeast Asian hubs of Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, which involves reaching an airport that serves these points (e.g., Sapporo to Seoul to Bangkok to Phnom Penh). Flying through Hong Kong saves a stop, but prices tend to be high and seats unavailable with the colony's reversion to China approaching. Hochiminh (Vietnam) and Vientian (Laos) also offer access. Upon arrival, visitors must part with US$15 for a visa. Banks change yen or US$ travelers' cheques, but it is wise to keep cash dollars handy. Cash in yen or Thai baht is also widely accepted. There is no currency black market, so you will get roughly the same exchange rate in a bank or on the street. Phnom Penh offers fine food, accommodations of excellent value and a hint of former French colonial charm. A basic guest house room will cost between 300 and 500 yen per night, and the city is navigable by "moto" (motorcycle taxi). As for traffic laws, it's the law of the jungle. Helmets are nowhere to be seen and at a four-way intersection, your moto driver will turn brazenly into oncoming traffic before weaving his way to the proper lane. Apart from consistently lukewarm rice, the food is delightful. Similar to Thai and Vietnamese, it is not as boldy flavored as the former and less soup-oriented than the latter. Amok fish is a specialty cooked with coconut milk and served in the coconut itself. Tropical fruits from pomelo to the lychee-like longan offer endless grounds for gastronomic exploration. The attractions in or near the capital include chilling reminders of Cambodia's turbulent modern history, a tale of war punctuated by genocide. The nation gained independence in 1954 and Prince Norodom Sihanouk ruled until problems of maintaining neutrality during the Vietnam War and of domestic insurgencies ushered in full-scale civil war. The eventual outcome was a takeover by the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge, who embarked on a reign of terror that included emptying the cities, establishing slave labor camps and pursuing disasterous agricultural reforms. During its 1975 to 1979 regime, between 1 and 3 million Cambodians were murdered or died from starvation, exhaustion or disease. While the Khmer Rouge was busy flushing the cities of humanity and depopulating the country, it converted one Phnom Penh school into a torture and internment facility, exemplifying the education methods of the day. The campus now houses the Toul Sleng Museum, where torture and detention cells are preserved. Several rooms are wallpapered with photo portraits of detainees, a few of whom stare in defiance, others in disbelief. But the majority show utter surprise, an incredulity shared by today's visitors who ask themselves how this ever could have happened? The movie "The Killing Fields" documents this period, its title referring to the Killing Fields of Chuoeung Ek, just outside Phnom Penh, where communal graves hold thousands of victims of mass executions. Hire a taxi to get there. The Phnom Penh-to-Angkor circuit is well travelled, with two round-trip flights per day (about 10,000 yen). Express boats (2,000 yen / one-way) take a scenic five hours, but are dangerously crowded. Other transportation is chancy, and large areas of the nation are still not recommended for travelers. It is best to contact the Cambodian Embassy for safety updates. As for communication, most people involved in tourism speak basic English and some Japanese or French.