The Herald News from Friends for Friends

Compiled by Wilma and Wolf-Dieter Ahlborn

Nr. 2 Heilbronn, Germany April 2013

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Dear friends,

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The anti-nuclear movement ...

... of Japan enjoys growing popularity among the population, but an obvious change two years after „3.11.” of government policy in respect to nuclear power generating is not in sight. BUND, an alliance for the protection of environment and nature in Germany, invited several guests from Japan to participate in two important expert meetings in Berlin and in Bayern (Bavaria) in March 2013. Also, on March 9, a demonstration of many thousands of people took place at the nuclear power-plant near our city of Heilbronn, at Neckarwestheim: „Fukushima reminds us. Let’s act now!” We were glad we could hear a speech there by Tomoyuki Takada of the „Atomfree Japan” initiative, www.atomfreejapan.org – At the plant one of two reactors is still operating. In February a leaking pipe was discovered there. Takada has been living in Germany for 30 years. His wife is German. He lost his grandparents in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

Saving energy

German households consumed almost 7% less energy in 2011 as compared with the previous year. Since 2000 energy consumption dropped by 23%. Environmental consciouness is one reason, but higher costs for fuel and other heating material is another one, according to BUND, of which we are members.

Fewer tourists to Japan

In two years following the Tohoku disaster the number of German tourists and business(wo)men travelling to Japan has declined considerably. In 2012 around

100 000 visitors from our country arrived, which means 13% less than in 2010. Germans were the most hesitant. The total number of foreign arrivals dropped by 4%.

Namesakes

One could go to Nara without even setting foot on Japanese soil. „...”?

Yes! Near Moscow in Russia there is a small place by this very name with a railway stop (we passed through there). Also, in Mali (West Africa), north of the capital Bamako, there is another town called Nara (look it up in your atlas!). Interestingly, in southern Pakistan, east of the city of Karachi, flows the river Nara, bordering a desert.

▲There is a town Nara in Mali, West Africa

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Home sweet home

Almost 600 female bats and their offspring were discovered by biologists in the German federal state of Thüringen (Thuringia), „at home” in a single beech-tree cracked due to old age, a record number. These cute and shy animals are protected under the law. When we stayed in Toyama at our home near Jinzu river in 1996/97, in the evening we could watch many bats.

Attitude unmasked

We often think it would be wise if we did what many Japanese do when in winter

or in any other season lots of people catch a cold: wear a mask over our mouth

and nose to protect ourselves and others. But what would be the result from such

an action? Germans are not accustomed to seeing people wearing flu masks.

Becoming a permanent eye-catcher for passers-by would be hard for us to

endure. And they could even take us for robbers...

A beer a day

According to brewers, German beer-drinkers can choose from among more than 5000 kinds(!) of beer. As the Federation of German Brewers DBB says, one kind of beer a day would enable you to finish the whole „stock” in almost 14 years. But – this is sobering – 90% of all kinds are not always and everywhere available.

Dying villages in Romania

The problem of people deserting Japanese villages (like Ōnagatani, Yatsuo-machi, Toyama-shi) has an equivalent in poor Romania. The reason: Men, women and whole families left for other European countries in search for jobs. Italy, Spain, Germany and France were preferred destinations. In their native village they left behind old people and often their children. The number of inhabitants shrank by sometimes 50% or even 80%. Also, as a result, less children are born.

There was no winter ...

... like this year’s in Germany and in other parts of central Europe since 1969. Why, too much snow or no snow at all?, you may ask. Well, it was a relatively „warm” winter, but there were days with much snow as well. The problem was, there was almost no sunshine. From December 1 till February 28 – officialy called „winter” by meteorologists – we would sometimes think there was no sun at all. Clouds, mist, rain, drizzle and of course snow sometimes. All of us were more than fed up with this when – it seemed to be a miracle – on March 3 the sun reappeared to the relief of everybody and for a whole week made us recover from the suffering in the dullness of last winter. Yes, you already know, officially spring starts March 1, but you see, even on meteorologists we can not rely now. Or could we ever? However, no more complaints! We hope for many sunny days. But of course not too sunny. Certainly in hot sommer we will yearn for some occasional nice clouds and a refreshing shower. For as long as they please us.

Nearly one million horses

Horses are not used any more in Germany as working animals. We remember seeing them last pulling carts and ploughs when we were very young. 99% of all horses are now kept for sport and other ways of recreation. They number almost one million now, half as many as immediately after World War II. Then, when „hunger was a steady guest” in homes, horse-meat was eaten by many people because of sheer need, both of us (as little children) included.

Next issue of „The Herald” in July