CICC TOKYO DAYORI vol.86

“Autumn is Around the Corner!”

After consecutive brutal heat and humid days (in the 40s with 85%-90%)
during this summer season in Japan, another great season to enjoy the
nature is around the corner. Yes, “Autumn”.
Would assume that Spring season is being well-recognized by people
worldwide as the best timing to enjoy pink-colored “cherry blossoms”,
meanwhile Autumn is another one to enjoy nature of green colored leaves
turning into red-and-yellow-in-various-gradations of “Ko-Yo”(Autumn
foliage, if you will) and to enjoy “Momiji-Gari” activities.
The Japanese word of “Momiji-Gari” or, "autumn-leaves hunting," can
translate literally to maple-leaves-hunting. It refers to the activity
of viewing the red-and-yellow painted trees while strolling around
fields through the crisp & fresh autumn air. Mountains are dyed in
beautiful reds and yellows. Maples become a blazing crimson hue, and
golden ginkgo trees paint the tree-lined roads. You can truly feel the
depth of Autumn by simply walking around and admiring various colors of
the trees.
Well, while enjoying “Momiji-gai” with family and friends, Autumn is
another great season for me to enjoy golf-rounds. It gives me
opportunity to refresh through smashing a tiny ball and to feel
just-right amount of tension striving for the best personal score
possible.
Regardless of being a professional or amateur player, while we strive
for finishing 18 holes with the least strokes possible, another
challenge is to hit the ball straight and to have it land within the
fairway area. Especially, for amateur, our biggest challenge is to
locate the ball-hit once it lands off-the-fairway, in rough area or
within the bush area where grasses are kept long and many branches and
leaves remain unmaintained. Why? It is because, once the ball rolls into
rough area, locating the ball within limited timeframe (normally within
3 min.) is a great challenge. In case you could not locate your hit
ball, max. of 2 strokes would be added to your score as a penalty. As
you may imagine, not being a professional, hole-out any holes less than
a “par” (predetermined number of strokes set for each hole) is almost
impossible, hence, for amateur, we strive for the least penalty possible
at all time. (i.e. lost-balls, etc.)
While I find many IT tools that assists to measure distances during
golf-rounds, (i.e. distances of ball being hit and of the remaining
length to the green/hole, etc.) , I have yet to encounter any IT tool
that assists spotting lost-ball during the round. Such gizmo shall let
amateur players, to concentrate on striving to finish the round with the
least penalty possible and to save our round-time and cost.
For those who are familiar with and enjoy golf outings, I hope you would
share any news if such IT solution to locate lost ball exists in the
marketplace, or if not, hope you would give me any practical advices to
hit the ball straight and to keep it within the fairway area.
Oh, by the way, besides the main subject of this essay, Japanese
Government had finally announced to lift majority of inbound
restrictions, laid out due to COVID-19 pandemic, on travelers from 11st
of October. It shall give all a chance to visit us in Japan and to enjoy
“Momiji-Gari” together.
Otherwise, enjoy upcoming Autumn season to all!

Kaoru (Ken) NISHIMURA(Mr.)

<Topics of Government>

(1)The Trade Ministers' Meeting, the Digital and Technology Ministers'
Meeting, and the Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers' Meeting to
Be Held in Connection with the G7 Hiroshima Summit
https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2022/0830_001.html

<Topics of Industries>

(1)Hitachi Hosts "Hitachi Social Innovation Forum 2022 JAPAN", the
largest scale Hitachi group event from October 25 to 27.
https://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/month/2022/09/220905.html

(2)Fujitsu and Phytocontrol to collaborate on offering food contaminant
analysis service via Fujitsu Computing as a Service (CaaS)
https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2022/0916-01.html

(3)Fujitsu, Tohoku University embark on strategic alliance to realize
‘Well-being Society’
https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2022/0926-01.html

(4)NEC Launches Open RAN cloud-native virtualized software suite to
extend the NEC Open Networks best of breed ecosystem
https://www.nec.com/en/press/202209/global_20220928_01.html

(5)NEC establishes new green data centers in Kanagawa and Kobe
https://www.nec.com/en/press/202209/global_20220913_01.html