IT & Technology on kenji.blog

The Illusion and Reality of "Japanese First": The Defense Mechanism Called "Coexistence" Facing Japan in 2026

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:43:41 +0900

The Illusion and Reality of “Japanese First”: The Defense Mechanism Called “Coexistence” Facing Japan in 2026

Introduction: Why Does This Phrase Resonate Now?

We now stand at an unprecedented turning point of an era. Prolonged inflation, sluggish real wage growth, and visibly advancing declining birthrates and aging population. Every time the price tags of products on supermarket shelves are rewritten, anxiety about the future casts a shadow over our hearts.

In the midst of this sense of stagnation, a phrase is rapidly gaining support. It is “Japanese First” (Nihonjin First).

The desire to “first enrich the lives of our own citizens” and “protect Japanese culture and public safety as a top priority” is an extremely natural and compelling urge as a sovereign individual, and as a human being living in this country. However, between the “ideal” championed by this phrase and the “reality” shown by statistical data, there exists a large gap that we must face squarely.

In this article, putting aside emotional arguments and labeling, we will close in on the true nature of this issue based on objective data, historical transitions, and facts occurring in various parts of society.

This phrase did not suddenly appear. It has been cultivated through a complex interplay of global trends and circumstances unique to Japan.

1. 2016-2017: Import and Establishment of the Phrase

In 2016, Donald Trump’s “America First” sent shockwaves around the world. Domestically in 2017, the “Tomin First no Kai” (Tokyoites First) led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike attracted attention. At this point, it was largely a rhetorical device to clarify policy priorities, and exclusionary nuances were still limited.

2. 2023-2024: Visualization of Anxiety

The delayed economic recovery after the pandemic and inflation accompanying the rapid depreciation of the yen hit ordinary households directly. Around the same time, dissatisfaction based on fragmented information, such as “Support for foreigners is too generous” and “Japanese taxpayers’ money is flowing to foreigners,” began to erupt on social media.

In the 2025 national elections, forces officially using “Japanese First” as a slogan secured a certain number of seats. Social media algorithms, reacting to people’s anxieties, preferentially displayed extreme posts, accelerating the “echo chamber phenomenon” where only specific values are reinforced.

The latest public opinion poll conducted by various newspaper companies (late 2025) highlighted the reality that public opinion is split right down the middle regarding this slogan: 42% “Agree / somewhat agree” and 38% “Disagree / somewhat disagree”.

One of the pillars of the logic supporting “Japanese First” is the image that “Japanese resources are being usurped by foreigners.” However, primary data from government agencies shows a reality exactly opposite to this intuition.

1. Labor Force: The “Indispensable Blood” Maintaining the Japanese Economy

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Foreigner Employment Situation (as of the end of October 2024)”, the number of foreign workers was **2,048,675 . Current estimates in 2026 show it has already surpassed ** 2.3 million.

Industrial Sector	Ratio/Increase Rate of Foreign Workers	Reality and Role
Construction	Approx. 22.7% increase YoY	Indispensable for infrastructure maintenance and repair of aging bridges and roads.
Medical/Welfare	Approx. 28.1% increase YoY	Serving on the front lines of caregiving, supporting elderly Japanese.
Manufacturing	Accounts for approx. 26% of the total	The backbone supporting the front lines of Japan’s export industry.

Currently, they are filling the “void that Japanese can no longer secure,” rather than jobs that Japanese people want to do but cannot. If we exclude them in the name of “Japanese First,” our caregiving system would immediately collapse, and housing and food prices would jump further from several tens of percent to multiple times.

The most widely spread narrative on social media is that “foreigners are receiving public assistance preferentially.” However, looking at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s statistics, the proportion of households with foreign heads among all recipient households is about 2.8-2.9%. Over the past 10-plus years, this figure has remained almost flat.

Conversely, looking at the age composition of foreign residents, the majority are in the working generations in their 20s to 40s. They pay welfare pensions and health insurance premiums, playing the role of “providers” who support the pensions and medical expenses received by “elderly Japanese.” It is none other than them who are prolonging the life of Japan’s social security system by filling the void in the working generation left after the Japanese have departed.

Anxiety about public safety most strongly stimulates the emotions of “Japanese First.” However, a detailed reading of the National Police Agency’s statistics and the Ministry of Justice’s “White Paper on Crime” reveals how much the image of the “vicious foreigner” on the internet is created by cognitive distortion.

1. A Calm Comparison of “Total Numbers” and “Crime Rates”

According to statistics published in 2024, foreigners account for about 5.5% of all arrested persons. The remaining roughly 95% are crimes committed by Japanese.

Comparing the number of arrested persons per 100,000 population (crime rate) reveals the essence even further.

Category	Arrested Persons per 100,000 Population (Estimate)
Japanese (All Ages)	Approx. 142.7 people
Foreign Residents (Settled/Residents)	Approx. 120.0 people

It is a statistical fact that the crime rate of foreigners residing in Japan in the medium to long term is lower than the overall average for Japanese.

2. The Magic of Bias Due to “Generation”

Why does the image that “foreigners are scary” take precedence? The biggest factor is the difference in “age composition” in criminology.

Japanese: About 30% are elderly people with extremely low crime rates. Because this demographic pushes down the “denominator,” the overall figure for Japan appears low.
Foreigners: Because they come to Japan as a labor force, over 80% are in the “young to middle-aged group,” where crimes are statistically more likely to occur.

If we compare the crime rates of Japanese and foreigners under the same condition of “those in their 20s,” no significant difference is seen between the two. In other words, it is not that “public safety has deteriorated because the number of foreigners has increased,” but merely that “the age group prone to committing crimes (the youth) exists in Japan in the form of foreigners.”

Social media algorithms use our “anxiety” as fuel. When one foreign crime occurs, it is intensely spread in association with the “attribute (nationality).” Then, only the memory that “a foreigner caused an incident again” is reinforced in our brains.

This is called “confirmation bias.” Crimes by Japanese, which account for 95% of the total, are overlooked as “everyday life,” and the 5% of foreign crimes are swapped for the image of “all foreigners.”

Chapter 4: Inheritance of Culture — “Destroyers” or “Saviors”?

The concern that “Japanese traditions and culture will be destroyed” also differs from the reality on the ground.

1. The “Last Inheritors” of Traditional Crafts

The number of workers manufacturing Japanese traditional crafts has plummeted from about 300,000 in the 1970s to about 50,000 today. Those saving this crisis of extinction are foreigners who came to Japan with deep respect for Japanese culture.

Sake Breweries and Sword Smiths: Foreigners have become apprentices in workshops where Japanese people have almost given up on inheritance. By incorporating an ability to broadcast overseas and new sensibilities, they are revitalizing cultures on the verge of closure into “sustainable industries.”

2. Maintenance of Local Communities

In local municipalities that have become “cities at risk of disappearance” due to the disappearance of young people, technical interns and specified skilled foreign workers have become the bearers of local festivals and support the foundation of agriculture. Who is tilling the abandoned farmland left behind by departing Japanese and protecting events that have continued for hundreds of years? If we look at that reality, we understand that they are not the “destroyers” of culture, but the “last line of defense.”

Chapter 5: Concerns in the Educational Field and the Chain of “Bullying”

The side effects of bringing the phrase “Japanese First” into the educational field are serious.

The Binary Opposition Dividing “Inside and Outside”: If children internalize the mistaken elitism that “Japanese are a privileged class that should be prioritized,” it easily leads to bullying that excludes “those who are different from us.”
Ranking by Roots: Children who have Japanese nationality but look different or have different names are attacked as “not Japanese.” This is the collapse of education and an act of harming the very human resources who will carry the future of Japan.

Experts in the field of education fear the risk that the exclusivity carried by the word “First” will diminish children’s ability for multicultural coexistence, resulting in Japan isolating itself from the world.

Chapter 6: Global Trends and the Wave of Populism

This phenomenon is not unique to Japan. Even in Western countries, a phenomenon continues where demographics who could not receive the benefits of globalization drift towards populism championing “My Country First.”

However, where Japan differs decisively from the West is that “its population is decreasing at the fastest speed in the world.” While other countries may have the option of “restriction,” in Japan there already exist countless social infrastructures that cannot be maintained without “cooperation.” Continuing to adhere to an emotional “First” means a logical “slow suicide.”

In Conclusion: What is True “Japanese First”?

The desire embedded in the phrase “Japanese First” — the desire to “put the lives of the citizens first” — is in itself the most basic responsibility that a country’s government should have.

However, the means to fulfill that desire must not be the “exclusion of our neighbors.” Because, as objective data shows, the convenience of life, public safety, traditional culture, and the social security system itself that we currently enjoy are already in a phase of “dependence and coexistence” that cannot be established without the presence of foreigners.

Is not the true “Japanese First” to calmly put the following three points into practice?

Discussions Based on Facts: Do not be swayed by rumors or exaggerated information, but grasp reality based on primary statistics from government agencies.
Establishment of Fair Rules: Require foreigners to comply with Japanese rules, while Japanese society treats them as fair partners.
Internal Update: Do not view the acceptance of foreigners as “losing Japan,” but a paradigm shift recognizing that it is to “rebuild and maintain Japan” with their help.

In 2026, we stand at a major crossroads. Will we continue to shout words of division and strangle ourselves? Or will we face reality and take a step towards a “sustainable Japan” where diverse people support each other?

The answer lies within the “intelligence” and “courage” in the heart of each individual.

Installing an MSIX with a Self-Signed Certificate

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 04:18:04 +0900

Installing an MSIX with a Self-Signed Certificate

When distributing apps on Windows, using MSIX packages is convenient because it unifies the installation and update mechanisms. However, MSIX has a restriction that it requires a “must be signed” certificate. There may be situations where you want to test-distribute an app developed for a company or individually, but “purchasing a commercial code signing certificate is too much.”

This is where a Self-Signed Certificate comes in handy. In this article, we will summarize the steps to attach a self-signed certificate to an MSIX and make it installable in a local environment.

1. Create a Self-Signed Certificate

First, launch PowerShell in administrator mode and run the following command.

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// Create a self-signed certificate
New-SelfSignedCertificate -Type CodeSigningCert -Subject "CN=035A9AAC-915B-4CE1-AE39-1A101BED42F5" -CertStoreLocation Cert:\CurrentUser\My -NotAfter (Get-Date).AddYears(10) -KeyUsage DigitalSignature -FriendlyName "kenjinote"

This creates a certificate for “code signing”.

Giving it a descriptive name with -FriendlyName makes it easier to find later.
You can adjust the expiration date with -NotAfter. Here it’s set to 10 years.

2. Export the PFX File

Export the created certificate in PFX format so it can be used with signtool.

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// Create pfx
$cert = Get-ChildItem Cert:\CurrentUser\My | Where-Object { $_.FriendlyName -eq "kenjinote" }
$password = ConvertTo-SecureString -String "password" -Force -AsPlainText
Export-PfxCertificate -Cert $cert -FilePath "D:\pfx\cert.pfx" -Password $password

The password set here (e.g., password) will be required later for signing operations.

3. Install the Self-Signed Certificate to Trusted Root Certification Authorities

The created certificate won’t be trusted by Windows as is. To install it, you need to import it into [Trusted Root Certification Authorities] -> [Certificates] from certmgr.msc.

If you import the exported certificate (.cer or .pfx), it will be treated as a trusted certificate on the target PC. This prevents the “untrusted certificate” warning when signing an MSIX.

4. Sign the Installer (MSIX)

Finally, use the created PFX certificate to sign the MSIX. signtool is included with Visual Studio and the Windows SDK.

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// Sign the installer
signtool sign /fd SHA256 /f "D:\pfx\cert.pfx" /p "password" "C:\installer\installer.msix"

/fd SHA256 specifies the signature algorithm.
/f specifies the PFX file, and /p passes the password.
Finally, specify the path to the MSIX file.
If signtool is not in your path, specify the full path. In my environment, it was in the following location:

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"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\NuGetPackages\microsoft.windows.sdk.buildtools\10.0.26100.1742\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\signtool.exe"

This completes the signing, and the installable MSIX for the target PC is ready.

Summary

Create a self-signed certificate with New-SelfSignedCertificate
Export the PFX with Export-PfxCertificate
Install the certificate in Trusted Root Certification Authorities
Sign the MSIX with signtool

By following this flow, you can test operations and distribute locally without buying a commercial certificate. Of course, a certificate issued by a Certificate Authority is essential for actual commercial distribution, but this method is very convenient during the development and verification stages.

👉 In this example, we used installer.msix, but the same procedure applies to your own custom apps.

History of No-Code in Local Environments

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 16:46:11 +0900

History of Low-Code / No-Code Development (1980s - Present)

Low-code / no-code development is a development method that allows you to create applications, websites, and databases without specialized programming knowledge. This concept began in the 1980s and has developed into various platforms along with the spread of PCs, the evolution of the Internet, and the expansion of cloud technology. In this article, we will introduce representative tools and services by decade, along with their features and prices.

1980s: The Early Days

HyperCard (Apple, 1987) An app creation tool for Macintosh. It composed screens in a card format and allowed GUI creation via drag-and-drop. Simple behavior control was also possible with its unique scripting language, “HyperTalk.” It was favored for prototyping purposes. The price at launch was $49.95, and it was later provided free of charge to new Mac purchasers. The final version was released in 1998, with no support for Mac OS X or later.
FileMaker (Claris/Apple, 1985) Graphical database software. In addition to tabular data display, it is a relational DB tool equipped with free layout editing and scripting functions. It is currently provided as “Claris FileMaker Pro,” with a full license version priced at $594 (as of 2024).

1990s: The Rise of GUI Apps and Business Systems Development

Visual Basic (Microsoft, 1991) An IDE specialized for Windows app development. By dragging and dropping GUI components like buttons and labels, event-driven apps could be easily built. With VB6.0 in 1998 being the last, it transitioned to the .NET era.
Microsoft Access (1992) A database development tool for Windows. It enabled relational DB design and form creation via GUI, and was widely used for general business app development. It is currently provided as part of Microsoft 365.
PowerBuilder (PowerSoft/Sybase, 1991) A 4GL development tool for business applications. It supported client/server architecture and had strengths in database integration. It is currently still being provided under the SAP umbrella.
Dreamweaver (Macromedia, 1997) A WYSIWYG tool that allowed visual web page creation. It enabled switching between HTML editing and design views, and also supported ASP and PHP. It is currently provided by Adobe and available via subscription (about $34.49 per month).
Flash (Macromedia, 1996) Originally developed as FutureSplash Animator, a vector animation production tool. It was later utilized for creating interactive content for the Web, but support ended in 2020 due to security concerns.
GameMaker (1999) A 2D game creation tool for beginners. Object placement and event control are possible via drag-and-drop. It later supported scripting (GML) as well, and currently multiple plans are offered for commercial use.

2000s: The Spread of Web-Based and Open Source

WordPress (2003) An open-source CMS using PHP and MySQL. It allows the construction of blogs and corporate sites using themes and plugins without programming knowledge. Distributed for free, it is one of the most widely used CMSs in the world.
Wix (2006) A no-code service that allows you to build websites on a browser. You can choose a template and edit it via drag-and-drop. In addition to the free plan, custom domains and e-commerce features are available in paid plans.
OutSystems (2001) A low-code platform for enterprises. Because it allows rapid development of business systems, its adoption by large corporations and government agencies is progressing. It supports both cloud and on-premises environments.
Scratch (MIT, 2007) A programming learning tool developed for children. By combining colored blocks, you can create games and animations, and it is widely used in educational settings. Provided free of charge.
Airtable (2013) A cloud-based service combining spreadsheets and databases. It looks similar to Excel but enables relations, Kanban views, API integration, and more. It is widely used by everyone from individuals to corporations.

2010s-2020s: The Era of Cloud and Automation

In recent years, cloud-based low-code / no-code tools have evolved rapidly.

Power Platform (Microsoft) An integrated business app development and automation platform including “Power Apps” and “Power Automate.” It allows you to visually construct corporate business processes via drag-and-drop.
Salesforce Lightning Platform An app development platform provided by the CRM Salesforce. Business apps can be created via GUI, and integration with other Salesforce services is easy.
Zapier / IFTTT Automation tools that allow integration between multiple cloud services without coding. For example, workflows like “Notify Slack when Google Forms is submitted” can be easily realized.
Notion (2010s) An all-in-one workspace integrating document management, task management, Wiki, etc. It also has a custom database feature, which is useful for business improvement without coding.
Construct 3 / GameSalad Tools that allow you to make games via drag-and-drop. Construct 3 is HTML5 compatible and works on browsers as well, making it popular in educational settings and among indie developers.

Information Sources and Supplementary Details

This article is composed based on the official websites of each product, Wikipedia, and highly reliable materials and articles (Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, etc.). Price information refers to official information from the time or the latest available, as much as possible (prices listed are mainly in US dollars). Many of the tools since the 2000s are subscription-based, and fees vary by plan.

High Dividend Yield Stocks Summary

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 00:56:14 +0900

High Dividend Yield Stocks Summary

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (8306)
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316)
Mitsubishi Corporation (8058)
Itochu Corporation (8001)
NTT (9432)
KDDI (9433)
Okinawa Cellular Telephone (9436)
Tokio Marine Holdings (8766)
Toyota Motor (7203)
Yamaha Motor (7272)
Asahi Group Holdings (2502)
Kirin Holdings (2503)
JT (2914)
Bridgestone (5108)
Daiwa House Industry (1925)
Sekisui House (1928)
Kyocera (6971)
Shin-Etsu Chemical (4063)
Nitto Denko (6988)
ORIX (8591)
Mitsubishi HC Capital (8593)
Hulic (3003)

Open Sourcing of MS-DOS 4.0

Sun, 05 May 2024 16:44:28 +0900

Open Sourcing of MS-DOS 4.0

Microsoft has released the source code for MS-DOS 4.0, which was released approximately 40 years ago. It is written almost entirely in 8086 assembly code.

GitHub Repository

https://github.com/microsoft/MS-DOS

Reference Sites

Open-Sourcing MS-DOS 4.0

Excel Calendar Template (with Holiday Support)

Wed, 01 May 2024 00:15:57 +0900

I created an Excel calendar template (with holiday support)!

I made an Excel template that automatically displays the holidays for a given month when you enter the year and month.

Please download and use it. Calendar.xlsx

How to exit and restart Explorer

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 15:40:24 +0900

This method is for Windows 10. It seems the menu is not displayed in Windows 11. If you hold down the Shift and Ctrl keys and right-click on the taskbar, Exit Explorer will appear in the menu.

How to exit from Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
Select Details.

Select explorer.exe, press the Delete key, and when asked Do you want to end explorer.exe?, select End process.

How to exit from Command Prompt

Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
Type taskkill /f /im explorer.exe and press Enter.

How to start Explorer from Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
Select Run new task from the File menu.
Type explorer.exe and press Enter.

GIF Animation Screen Recording Tool

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 01:23:01 +0900

GIF Animation Screen Recording Tool

I created a tool to record the screen and convert it into a GIF animation. With this tool, you can record screen operations and share them via communication tools like Microsoft Teams.

How to Use

Launch the tool.
Specify the recording area. If not specified, the entire screen will be recorded.
Press the record button.
Press the stop recording button.
The GIF animation will be output to the same location as the executable file.

Download

Open the link above and click the GIFScreenRecorder.exe link to download the executable file.

Source Code

GitHub

Disasters in Japan

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 00:50:09 +0900

Overview

Notes on natural disasters that occurred in Japan.

January 1, 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Nanakusa-gayu Recipe

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 22:22:00 +0900

Seven Herbs (Nanakusa)

Seri (Water dropwort)
Nazuna (Shepherd’s purse)
Gogyo (Cudweed)
Hakobera (Chickweed)
Hotokenoza (Nipplewort)
Suzuna (Turnip)
Suzushiro (Radish)

Recommendation for the Deft Pro (M-DPT1MRBK) Trackball

Tue, 02 May 2023 23:28:33 +0900

About the Elecom Trackball Deft Pro M-DPT1MRBK

It has been about a week since I purchased the Elecom trackball “Deft Pro M-DPT1MRBK”, so I will review my experience using it.

Main Features

High number of buttons (8 buttons)
Can be connected in 3 ways: wired, wireless receiver, and Bluetooth
Large ball size (medium size, 44mm diameter)
Purchase price on Amazon: ￥7,012 (as of May 2, 2021)

Pros

Unlike a mouse, you don’t need to move your wrist, which reduces wrist strain.
With many buttons, you can assign various functions to them. I currently have them assigned as shown above. You can also change button assignments per application.

Dedicated software installation is required for button assignment.

Since the buttons are large, it is relatively easy to make precise movements for a trackball.

Cons

Dust accumulates around the trackball, so the ball needs to be removed and cleaned regularly (about once every few days).
It takes time to get used to the different feel compared to a mouse, as you use your index and middle fingers to move the cursor and your thumb to operate the mouse wheel.
Although I mentioned above that fine movements are easy, it is still difficult to move the cursor pixel by pixel with a trackball.
You cannot operate the wheel while pressing the left button (e.g., when you want to zoom in or out while selecting an area in Paint).

Overall, I think it is on the expensive side for a trackball, but generally it is quite easy to operate and has improved my work efficiency. I hope this will be helpful for those considering purchasing it.

How to Get the Daily Record Creation Count Using SOQL in Salesforce

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 02:50:30 +0900

How to Get the Daily Record Creation Count Using SOQL in Salesforce

Open the Developer Console.
Open the Query Editor tab.
Paste and execute the following SOQL query.

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select day_only(createdDate), count(createdDate) from account group by day_only(createdDate) order by count(createdDate) desc limit 10

Change account to the name of any object you want to query before executing.

Reference

Is there a way to group by the date portion of a datetime field in SOQL?

About Buttons

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 20:24:00 +0900

What is a Button

A button is one of the GUI controls and can be implemented with the standard Windows API. When the area on the screen is clicked (mouse left button down, mouse left button up), the processing specified in the program can be executed.

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// Creating a button
CreateWindow(
 TEXT("BUTTON"),
 TEXT("Close"),
 WS_CHILD|WS_VISIBLE,
 10,10,128,30,
 hWnd,
 (HMENU)ID_BUTTON1,
 ((LPCREATESTRUCT)lParam)->hInstance,
 0);

 ...

 // A WM_COMMAND message is sent from the OS to the window when clicked.
 case WM_COMMAND:
 switch(LOWORD(wParam))
 {
 case ID_BUTTON1:
 SendMessage(hWnd,WM_CLOSE,0,0);
 break;
 }
 break;

Sample code is available below. button

Bought a Used ThinkPad

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 19:07:00 +0900

Bought a Used ThinkPad Laptop

Since my work on a laptop mostly involves connecting to other machines via remote desktop, I didn’t need a high-spec PC and a Chromebook would have been fine. However, because I couldn’t find one with a good design and high resolution, I bought a ThinkPad.

The specs are below, and using various points, the price came out to around 55,000 yen.

ThinkPad T470s

CPU: Intel Core i7 7600U
RAM: 24GB
SSD: 512GB
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64bit
Screen: 14.0-inch wide (non-glare panel)
Resolution: WQHD LCD 2560×1440
Weight: Approx. 1.32kg
Notes: English keyboard

Since it’s used, I thought it might have signs of wear or scratches, but there were no problems at all, which is great. The battery is also working fine so far.

Complaints that come to mind so far

There are no Pause and App keys. I used the Pause key as a shortcut to open system settings. Also, I used the App key to open pop-up menus, so it’s inconvenient without it.
The PageUp and PageDown keys are right next to the arrow keys on the keyboard, so I often press them by mistake. This might just take some getting used to.

Other PCs I considered but didn’t buy

ASUS Chromebook Flip C436FA (C436FA-ENG)
HP Laptop HP15s-fq

Reference: ThinkPad T470s

Quotes Collection

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 17:00:43 +0900

Fools learn from experience, wise men learn from history. (Otto von Bismarck)

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. (Laozi)

Stay hungry, stay foolish. (Steve Jobs)

Done is better than perfect. (Mark Zuckerberg)

Keep it simple. (James Gosling)

I don’t have time to worry about who doesn’t like me. I’m too busy loving the people who love me. (Snoopy)

The greatest happiness for a human being is to find a job in which one can make the most of oneself. (Karl Marx)

If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger? (Thomas Huxley, 1877)

“Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.” (Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass, 1872)

It is no exaggeration to say that Claude Shannon is the father of the information age, and that his academic achievements are among the greatest of the 20th century. (Commentary by the American Mathematical Society)

They who are acquainted with the present state of the theory of Symbolical Algebra, are aware, that the validity of the processes of analysis does not depend upon the interpretation of the symbols which are employed, but solely upon the laws of their combination. (George Boole, at the beginning of his book The Mathematical Analysis of Logic, 1847)

Simple Icon Collection Sites

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 16:46:56 +0900

Google Material Symbols and Icons

https://fonts.google.com/icons

GitHub Octicons

https://primer.style/octicons/

Sargam Icons

https://sargamicons.com/

Thousands of free icons

https://icon-icons.com/

flaticon

https://www.flaticon.com/

ICONFINDER

https://www.iconfinder.com/

iconfont

https://www.iconfont.cn/

open-iconic

https://github.com/iconic/open-iconic

My Thoughts on Japan

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 02:24:11 +0900

I’d like to organize my thoughts on what I find strange or think about Japanese society.

About Student Loans

Speaking of scholarships in Japan, most of them are interest-bearing student loans that must be repaid. In addition, university tuition fees have been continuously increasing since 1950, and the percentage of students receiving these loans is also on an upward trend.

On the other hand, it seems that the recent average total borrowing amount reaches 3.24 million yen.

For users of the Japan Student Services Organization scholarships, the average total borrowing amount is 3,243,000 yen. Reference

If someone is burdened with a debt of 3 million yen at the age of 22 when graduating from university, naturally, their marriage age will be delayed, and it will obviously become harder to have children. I think this is one of the causes of Japan’s declining birthrate problem.

Pervasive Self-Responsibility Theory

This is somewhat based on my senses, but I feel there is a cold social attitude of “other people’s business is their business.” It might be inevitable that this trend occurs after decades of ongoing economic recession, but Even regarding the aforementioned student loan issue, it is not viewed as a problem for society as a whole, and I feel that the voices of young people and minorities, who have fewer votes in elections, are being ignored. Even though, in the long run, it is actually a very important issue for Japan as a whole.

Instead of heading towards excessive competition, I think a spirit of everyone helping out when there are people, generations, or groups in need is extremely important for a country. (However, I feel a sense of discomfort when the government insists on “self-help and mutual help.” I want them to proactively work on rescuing the vulnerable.)

(This article will be updated as needed.)

Characteristics of Japanese People as Seen by AI

Yes, I will explain the characteristics of Japanese people.

[Good Aspects]

Japanese people have a culture of being polite and paying attention to respect and how they treat others.
Punctuality is strictly enforced, and being on time is highly respected.
A collectivistic mindset is strong, with an emphasis on teamwork and cooperation.
Cleanliness is valued, and there is a tendency to be enthusiastic about manners and cleaning in public spaces.
Gifts and souvenirs are cherished, and a culture of expressing gratitude is widespread.

[Bad Aspects]

They may be poor at asserting their personal opinions and have a tendency to avoid clashes of opinion.
A very strict work culture exists, and overtime work or death from overwork (karoshi) is sometimes seen as a problem.
Issues of discrimination or exclusion towards foreigners remain, and harmony with the international community is sometimes called into question.
There is an authoritarian tendency, and it is sometimes pointed out that they often accept the opinions of bosses or elders unconditionally.
It is a closed society, and it is sometimes criticized for having a tendency to struggle to accept outside cultures and values.

Changed my internet environment from Flets Hikari to J:COM

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 22:48:51 +0900

Changed my home internet environment from Flets Hikari to J:COM

On a friend’s recommendation, I changed my home internet connection from Flets Hikari to J:COM. The reasons are:

The monthly fee will be cheaper. 3,619 yen → 2,180 yen
Internet speed will increase from 100MBps to 320MBps

These points.

Impressions after using it

It’s been about a week since the switch, and so far there are almost no problems. I’ll note a few things I noticed below.

After actually changing, I noticed that the download speed definitely became faster, going from 60MBps to just under 320MBps. However, the upload speed, which was around 40MBps with Flets Hikari, dropped to about 10MBps. This seems to be a specification on J:COM’s side. For now, I won’t be doing any streaming or uploading massive amounts of data, so I’ll wait and see.

Also, recently my family and I are mainly working remotely, and today for the first time the internet went down for a few tens of minutes. It recovered automatically, but it might not be a very good omen. It hasn’t even been a week since the switch, though…

As a side note, J:COM regulates P2P communication, so it seems you won’t get good speeds on P2P apps. Those who use P2P should be careful.

About the service

At the time of signing up, I was told that if I join Netflix or Disney+, I could get 40,000 yen worth of QUO cards, which offsets the respective service contract fees and makes the average monthly fee a bit cheaper, so I signed up for the services at the same time as the contract. It seems Netflix is a 1-year contract and Disney+ is a half-year contract, and I need to complete the cancellation procedures myself.

Since it hasn’t been long since the switch, if I have any additional usability issues or thoughts, I’d like to update the article again. See you,

09/06 It became hard to connect to the internet

2022/09/06 around 13:13 for about 3 to 5 minutes
2022/09/06 around 13:30 for about 3 to 5 minutes
And several times after that…

It seems DNS is the problem, so I configured the DNS server referring to here. We’ll see how this goes… Even with the DNS setting, it fell into a state where it couldn’t connect, so when I inquired with support, they said they were doing emergency maintenance… Right after inquiring, the connection status improved, so I think they took some sort of countermeasure.

Adding a command to insert a date in IntelliJ IDEA

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 05:59:04 +0900

Introduction

I use IntelliJ IDEA when writing this blog. It works well with Git and is convenient because it shows markdown previews. Since I have to write the date in the md header every time I write a blog post, and there doesn’t seem to be a shortcut for inserting dates, I tried creating a command to insert the date, using the following site as a reference. I hope this helps.

Is there a shortcut for inserting date/time in IntelliJ IDEA?

Setup Procedure

Open “File” > “Settings…” from the menu
Select “Editor” > “Live Template” > “HTML/XML” and click “+”
Select Live Template
Enter “date” in Abbreviation
Enter “Insert date and time” in Description
Enter “$date$” in Template Text
Click Edit Variables button
Enter “date” in Name
Enter date("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'+09:00'") in Expression
Click OK to close the dialog
Click Define or Change and check “Everywhere”
Click OK to close the dialog
Type “date” in the code editor and press Enter. If the date “2022-09-04T05:59:04+09:00” is inserted, the setup is complete!

That’s all.

Conclusion

I will continue to share more IntelliJ IDEA tips if I find them!

IT & Technology on kenji.blog

The Illusion and Reality of "Japanese First": The Defense Mechanism Called "Coexistence" Facing Japan in 2026

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Introduction: Why Does This Phrase Resonate Now?

Chapter 1: The Timeline and Social Background of “Japanese First”

1. 2016-2017: Import and Establishment of the Phrase

2. 2023-2024: Visualization of Anxiety

3. 2025-2026: Fusion of Political Forces and Social Media

Chapter 2: The Truth of the Economy and Social Security — “Usurpers” or “Supporting Pillars”?

1. Labor Force: The “Indispensable Blood” Maintaining the Japanese Economy

2. Social Security: Rumors and Realities Surrounding Public Assistance

Chapter 3: Public Safety and Social Media Bias — Logical Dismantling of “Foreign Crime”

1. A Calm Comparison of “Total Numbers” and “Crime Rates”

2. The Magic of Bias Due to “Generation”

3. The “Confirmation Bias” Created by Social Media

Chapter 4: Inheritance of Culture — “Destroyers” or “Saviors”?

1. The “Last Inheritors” of Traditional Crafts

2. Maintenance of Local Communities

Chapter 5: Concerns in the Educational Field and the Chain of “Bullying”

Chapter 6: Global Trends and the Wave of Populism

In Conclusion: What is True “Japanese First”?

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2. Export the PFX File

3. Install the Self-Signed Certificate to Trusted Root Certification Authorities

4. Sign the Installer (MSIX)

Summary

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1980s: The Early Days

1990s: The Rise of GUI Apps and Business Systems Development

2000s: The Spread of Web-Based and Open Source

2010s-2020s: The Era of Cloud and Automation

Information Sources and Supplementary Details

High Dividend Yield Stocks Summary

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Open Sourcing of MS-DOS 4.0

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GitHub Repository

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January 1, 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake

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