"It is notable that the decline in numbers did not follow immediately after the Brexit vote (in 2016), or even after the UK had formally left the EU (in 2020), but only after the financial changes came into effect." ✍️ Rachel Brooks on student mobility after Brexit https://ow.ly/ZMGi50Yf8Ht

"Reassured".

It was my privilege to take part in this programme. The bottom line is: Takaichi is so far so pragmatic. So long as ideology does not get too much in the way, no significant deviation in JPN foreign policy is expected.

"The seats have coloured grab ‘ears’; asked about reports that these could cause problems for catering trolleys, CrossCountry assured Rail Business UK they were now ‘gauge cleared’." www.railwaygazette.com/uk/crosscoun...

China might have, indeed, helpd Takaichi's landslide victory. One wonders why the CCP fails (or refuses) to learn from their "track record".

自民圧勝でもう野党のせいには出来ないぞ、と言うのを散見するが、スケープゴートはまだ居るぞ。外国人や社会弱者とか。そうならないことを祈るばかり。

自民圧勝で、「中国を懲らしめてやらなければ」的な戦前に似たような論調が増えなければ良いのだが。

As expected LDP expected to win a landslide in the Lower House election. In few years, the LDP + conservative parties might come very, very, close to the 2/3 overall majority needed in both houses, with serious consequences.

この衆議院選挙、色々投票できない人大勢いそうなところ見ると、憲法に抵触するんじゃないの? まぁ、最高裁は国事行為云々って言うんだろうな。

The dangerous thing about Takaichi, when it comes to China, is that she lacks the subtlety of Abe. If Takaichi considers herself to be Abe's protégé, then she is overestimating herself.

むやみに中国に喧嘩売ってなんの徳があるのだろう。ウヨクの危ない火遊びに国民が巻き込まれるだけ。

日曜日の午後8時、何か嫌な事になりそうだ・・・。

ホシュやウヨクがいろんな政策に反対するの見ているけど、彼らの論理には信じられないほどものすごい飛躍がある。確信犯も多数いるのは勿論だが、何もわからずその空論に便乗している者の思考回路は一体どうなっているのだろう。

言論統制は国家や政府だけがする事ではない。権力者に媚び諂う企業家・資産家らも加担して成し遂げられるのだ。ワシントン・ポスト紙の現状を見よ。

What is happening at the Washington Post today tells us, yet again, the importance of social sciences, humanities, and arts education. They are crucial tools in "arming" ourselves with the imagination needed to call out despotism and bigotry. We now know who is scared.

ウソをウソと見抜けない人々がウソをつきまくる政党に清き一票を入れることの怖さを本当に我々は理解しているのだろうか。

それにしても選挙戦における外国人言説、欧米ファシストたちの言っていることをただコピペするだけ。言説を発信する方も鵜吞みにする方も能がない。

Do not believe anything untill t̶h̶e̶ ̶k̶r̶e̶m̶l̶i̶n̶ Bᴇɪᴊɪɴɢ denies it.

Passing of another era--and a great loss. His 『日本の外交』, in particular, still seems innovative in how prewar Japanese foreign policy was driven by 思想, predating Constructivist IR by two to three decades. www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/artic...

Railways as vital tools of geopolitical ambitions 2.0. www.railjournal.com/infrastructu...

Missing from the coverage of redundancies at Edinburgh: this was done in such a haphazard, uncoordinated way, there are now core teams who have gone from 5 people to 1 with no change in workload or pressure and huge loss in knowledge of institutional process. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2576321...

Inspiring the next at Leicester.

An early morning snack at Helsinki Vantaa.

Coffee time at Musashi-Koyama.

Calmness returns to Meguro Fudō.

My "office" for this afternoon.

My lunch today at Tōdai Komaba campus.

Old and new in Asakusa.

Mount Fuji still clearly visible in the evening.

A bit difficult to see, but a clear view of Mount Fuji this morning.

Spotted at Enoshima.

Having Italian tonight at Saizeriya.

A little coffee break at Haneda.

Caroling at Helsinki Vantaa.

He is looking much better today.

The skies over Loughborough station this morning.

This talk of Europeans selling off US Treasuries: it would likely drive down the prices, so the Europeans will lose a lot of money in the process.

So, how is China responding to the US NSS on Taiwan? With the same level of histrionics as with Takaichi?

From the CWS ARCHIVE. 4th June 2024.

Clash of civilizations 2.0--led by the US.

Seems like the US is gearing-up for a battle of civilizations, or dare I say, a global race war.

It is a truly dangerous world.

英国はインフラ投資はおろかインフラの質がメチャクチャだ。その上、インフラ管理・運営能力も相当劣化している。