北方領土の日（hoppo ryodo no hi）: Northern Territories Day

On Feb. 7, 1855 the Treaty of Commerce, Navigation and Delimitation was made between Japan and Russia and the border was established between the islands of Etorofu (択捉)and Uruppu.
This area is called Northern Territories （北方領土：hoppo ryodo）which includes 4 big islands Etorofu-to(択捉島), Kunashiri-to(国後島),Shikotan-to(色丹島), Habomai-gunto(歯舞群島) and some small islands nearby.　The total area is 5,036 square kilometers.
Until the end of World War II there were 17,291 people had lived in the Northern Territories, however they were forced to evacuate the islands by 1949 and 80% of them settled in Hokkaido(北海道), which adjoins the Northern Territories.
The Four Northern Islands are currently illegally occupied by Russia. The Japanese government is trying to solve this problem through diplomatic negotiations,conclude a peace treaty between Japan and Russia, and establish stable relations based on true mutual understanding between the two countries.
To enhance people's understanding of and increase interest in the Northern Territories issue, and to promote reversion campaign the Japanese government decided in 1981 that Feb. 7 every year be Northern Territories Day.

Inauguration: 大統領就任式（daitoryo shunin shiki）

The inauguration of the 44th president of the United States of America was held on Tuesday Jan. 20 in Washington DC, following the Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day. There is 14 hours difference between EST and JST(Japan Standard Time) now, it was broadcasted from 1 am to 3 am this morning, which included oaths of the vice president and the president and his address, but not the parade. Today's many news programs picked up the historical events here in Japan too.
Last year Barack Obama's speeches were published as books with CD, and 400,000 copies have been sold. His persuasive speech is very popular in Japan. This inauguration address will also be published as CD soon.

Since Mr. Barack Obama started his election campaign 2 places in Japan have been known to whole nation and started supporting him because they have the same name as he does. They are Obama city in Fukui prefecture (福井県小浜市) and Obama Onsen in Nagasaki prefecture (長崎県小浜温泉). They also celebrated the new president. I believe they want Mr. President to visit their places someday.

阪神・淡路大震災(hanshin awaji dai shinsai): The Great Hanshin Earthquake

It's been 14 years since the Great Hanshin Earthquake happened. It occurred on Tuesday January 17, 1995 at 5:46:52 AM in the southern part of Hyogo prefecture. Its magnitude was 7.3, and registered as shindo (震度) 7 on the Japanese scale which had never happened before. 6,434 people lost their lives and about 44,000 people were injured. More than 300,000 people were sheltered. The amount of damage is said to be more than 10 trillion yen, and according to Wikipedia it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the "costliest natural disaster to befall any one country." I think this earthquake is the biggest and worst since Kanto dai shinsai (関東大震災), Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1, 1923 at 11:58:32AM.
Every year on this day since the earthquake, there are many memorial events in many Kansai area.
Until that time, volunteerism has not been known to Japanese people, but this catastrophe made people volunteer. Therefore the year 1995 is called borantia gannen (ボランティア元年), the beginning year of volunteerism.

One of the best things I learned during my stay in the USA is volunteerism.

There is a phrase in Japanese, "jishin (地震:earthquake), kaminari (雷:thunder), kaji (火事:fire), oyaji (親父:father)." 　This is the order people have been afraid of most, though I am not sure if people are still afraid of the last one.

Physical checkup 健康診断 （kenko shindan)

The worst three causes of death of Japanese people are said to be cancer, heart disease, and stroke. However these days the metabolic syndrome which causes the life-style related disease such as diabetes has attracted many people's attention. Usually people can take annual physical checkups at schools or companies, but those who are not belonging to those organizations can take the checkups to prevent that disease at their local hospitals and clinics for the reasonable prices (yen 1,500 for under 70 years old, free for 70 to 74 years old, and X-ray for lung cancer costs yen 1,100), which system started in April, 2008. I went to the hospital today and took the checkup which included urine and blood tests, cardiogram, X-ray, measuring of height, weight, waist and blood pressure, and interview. The results will be sent by mails in a few days. I think health is the most important "健康第一（kenko daiichi)". Please take good care of yourselves!