Search results for "commendation"

AI and the Ainu Language

AI is becoming ever more relevant in supporting the preservation of endangered languages, including Ainu, because of its capabilities for language transcription, translation, and search/retrieval. In this webinar chaired by Professor Roger K. Moore, Professor Tatsuya Kawahara, a leading researcher at Kyoto University, talked about his latest project developing automatic speech recognition and synthesis technologies to assist the preservation of the Ainu language. He was joined by special guest Sachiko Kibata (92), who shared her thoughts as one of the very few remaining speakers of the Ainu language, and presented some traditional Ainu folklore.

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The Japan House Gallery will reopen to the public on Tuesday 15 June:

From Tuesday 15 June 2021, the Japan House Gallery will reopen to the public, with the current exhibition, Beauty and Power by Mika Ninagawa, on display until Friday 30 July (weekdays only, 10:00-17:00). Visitors to the exhibition are required to book in advance and follow COVID-secure protocols while attending. Full guidance for these COVID measures

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Suicide and the COVID-19 pandemic: Trends in Japan and around the world

The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis with both physical and mental health consequences. There are concerns that it may lead to an increase in suicides. In the first part of this webinar, we discussed global trends in suicides in high-income and upper-to-middle income countries in the early months of the pandemic. The second half of the webinar focused on the case of Japan, which experienced a notable increase in female suicides during the pandemic. We discussed the likely causes of this increase in suicides and the implications for other countries.

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Women in Politics in the UK and Japan

Gender balance in politics can improve the quality and responsiveness of public policy, increase public trust in government and provide a better reflection of society. Despite the benefits of greater inclusion of women in politics, women in Japan and the UK still face barriers which restrict them from attaining full participation in political life. While the UK has shown significant progress in this regard, female representation in the Japanese Diet is at only 9.9%. This webinar discussed the importance of women in politics, the current situation in the UK and Japan, the barriers and obstacles to female participation, and gave recommendations to deal with them.

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パラリンピアンの世界観

The present coronavirus pandemic is posing challenges for people all around the world. Paralympic athletes, who were preparing to participate in the next Tokyo Paralympic games, are no exception. The social distancing policy adopted in numerous countries, including Japan and the UK, is changing lifestyles and making us rethink what we can do to overcome this difficult period and move forward. Noel Thatcher MBE will talk talk about his life journeys and how he has been able to transform their greatest challenges into opportunities, including the important role of sport and physical activities in developing mental and physical well-being.

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Sir Tim Hitchens appointed Chair of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation announces that Sir Tim Hitchens has been appointed Chair of the Trustees with effect from 9 July 2020. He succeeds Sir Peter Williams CBE FRS FREng, who has served in this role since 2012.

Sir Tim has had a long professional and personal association with Japan, first visiting in 1977. He was British Ambassador in Tokyo from 2012 to 2016, and is currently President of Wolfson College, Oxford.

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Transforming challenges into opportunities – Paralympian perspectives

The present coronavirus pandemic is posing challenges for people all around the world. Paralympic athletes, who were preparing to participate in the next Tokyo Paralympic games, are no exception. In this webinar, Paralympians from the UK and Japan talked about their life journey and how they have been able to transform their greatest challenges into opportunities. The athletes discussed the important role of sport and physical activities in developing mental and physical well-being, and explained some of the challenges faced by elite sportspeople at the moment.

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Japan’s economic stagnation and Abenomics

The Japanese economy has been continuously struggling over the past 30 years. Since the bursting of the 1980s economic bubble, the country seems to have been caught in economic and financial stagnation. In response, Abe’s administration has implemented a bold monetary and financial policy as part of its so called ‘Abenomics’ strategy. Yet economic growth remains limited. This seminar looked at the reasons behind Japan’s long-term stagnation, the limitations of Abenomics policies, and the challenges faced by Japanese productivity.

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Portland Japanese Garden: An American Interpretation of a Japanese Artform

In this talk, Steve Bloom, Chief Executive Officer of the Portland Japanese Garden, explored the past, present, and future of the Portland Japanese Garden. He looked at how it is leading a global dialog about the Japanese Garden as a platform for spreading the ideals of peace and mutual understanding between peoples. The talk was chaired by the radio broadcaster Nick Luscombe.

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Closing the gender gap by 2030: Lessons from Japan and the UK

In 2017, Japan was ranked 114th on the Global Gender Gap Index produced by the World Economic Forum, evidencing the magnitude of the gender gap problem in this country. Whilst the UK was ranked 15th, there are still several areas in which the country still performs poorly, such as the gender pay gap. In this seminar, the current status of the gender gap in Japan and the UK specifically and OECD countries more generally was discussed, including about what policies have been implemented, what challenges still exist and future recommendations.

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