The rise in prices of electricity, gas, and other utilities due to high oil prices and import/export restrictions caused by the war in Ukraine, and the resulting increase in prices, are making headlines on a daily basis.
For the past 30 years, the average salary income of Japanese citizens has remained the same, and many companies have implemented bonus and workforce reductions. The situation continues to be difficult for the people.
What has been noticeable in this situation is that the public has become more conscious of the cost of living.
For example, they switch to energy-efficient appliances to reduce utility costs and make it a habit to go to bed early and get up early to save on heating and cooling.
Against this backdrop, Edo (now Tokyo), a city that utilized natural resources to build a recycling-oriented society, has been attracting attention.
In the 18th century, Edo was one of the largest cities in the world with a population of one million and water and sewage systems were already in place.
The ecosystem of that time was technologically superior, and there are many things we can learn from it even today.
At the hear t of the Japanese people is a sense of value for things and nature that goes beyond mere frugality.
The Edo period was supported by the MOTTAINAI spirit.
Hal f a centur y ago, when we were plagued by pollution, we a chieved high growth that surprised the world by promoting energy-saving, resource-saving, and low-cost type technological innovations.
Japan has always created new and improved ideas out of chaos.
Crisis and opportunit y are two sides of the same coin.
( From May issue, 2023 / 2023年5月号より)
ウクライナ戦争
ukuraina’sennsou
the war in Ukraine
原油高
gennyu’daka
high oil prices
輸出入規制など
yushutsunyuu’kisei nado
import/export restrictions
の影響により、
no eikyou ni yori,
due to
上昇、
joushou,
the rise
それに伴う
sore ni tomonau
and resulting
上昇が、
joushou ga,
the increase
ニュースを賑わせています。
nyu-su wo nigi wase te i masu.
are making headlines
30年、
sannjuu nenn,
for thirty years
日本国民
nihonn’kokuminn
Japanese citizens
平均給与所得は
heikinn’kyuuyo’shotoku ha
the average salary income
変わらず、
kawarazu,
has remained the same and
人員削減を
jinninn’sakugenn wo
workforce reductions
実行する
jikkou suru
have implemented
企業も
kigyou mo
companies
少なくありません。
sukunaku ari masenn.
many
苦しい
kurushii
to be difficult
状況が
joukyou ga
the situation
続いています。
tsuduite i masu.
continues
顕著になったのが、
kenncho ni natta noga,
what has been noticeable
生活コスト
seikatsu’kosuto
the cost of living
国民の
kokuminn no
the public
意識が高まっていること
ishiki ga takamatte iru koto
that has become more conscious
例えば、
tatoeba,
for example
光熱費を
kounetsu’hi wo
utility costs
抑えるため、
osaeru tame,
to reduce
省エネ機器
shou’ene’kiki
energy-efficient appliances
切り替えたり、
kirikae tari,
they switch and
早寝早起きを
hayane’hayaoki wo
to go to bed early and get up early
習慣化して
shuukann’ka shite
make it a habit
冷暖房を
reidannbou wo
heating and cooling
節約したりしています。
setsuyaku shi tari shi te i masu.
to save on
そんな中、
sonnna naka,
against this backdrop
天然資源を
tennnenn’shigenn wo
natural resources
活用して
katsuyou shite
that utilized
循環型社会を
junnkann’gata’shakai wo
a recycling-oriented society
東京)が
toukyou) ga
Tokyo
注目されています。
chuumoku sarete i masu.
has been attracting attention
18世紀、
juuhach seiki,
in the eighteenth century
人口
jinnkou
a population of
100万人
hyaku mann ninn
one million
世界最大の
sekai’saidai no
the largest in the world
上下水道が
jouge’suidou ga
water and sewage systems
整備されていました。
seibi sarete i mashita.
were in place
エコシステムは
eko’shisutemu ha
the ecosystem
技術的にも
gijutsu’teki nimo
technologically
すぐれており、
sugurete ori,
was superior and
学ぶ
manabu
we can learn from it
日本人
nihonnjinn
the Japanese people
節約志向
setsuyaku’shikou
frugality
にとどまらない、
ni todomara nai,
that goes beyond
価値観が
kachi’kann ga
a sense of value
江戸を
edo wo
the Edo period
支えたのは
sasaeta noha
supported
もったいない精神
“mottainai seishinn”
(by) the MOTTAINAI spirit
悩んだ
nayannda
when we were plagued
半世紀前には、
hannseiki’mae niha,
half a century ago
省エネ、
shou’ene,
energy-saving
省資源、
shou’shigenn,
resource-saving
低コスト型の
tei’kosuto’gata no
(and) low-cost type
技術革新を
gijutsu’kakushinn wo
technological innovations
驚く
odoroku
that surprised
高度成長を
koudo’seichou wo
high growth
成し遂げました。
nashitoge mashita.
we achieved
いつの時代も、
itsu no jidai mo,
always
新たな工夫
arata na kufuu
new
改善の
kaizenn no
improved
生み出してきました。
umidashite ki mashita.
has created
チャンスは
channsu ha
opportunity
表裏一体
hyouri’ittai
two sides of the same coin