Many aspects of Japanese culture are universally admired. Images of luxurious cuisine, karate, or Zen gardens often pop into a Westerner’s mind when thinking about the cultural riches of Japan. However, one Japanese tradition now being revealed to the world has many foreigners’ scratching their heads. Believe it or not, many Japanese adopt adult men into family businesses.

Sometimes, they even marry these adopted sons to a daughter in the family. And this practice isn’t under the radar at all. According to government statistics, an astonishing 98 percent of all adoptions in Japan are for men between the ages of 20-30.

A Few Famous Japanese Examples Of Adopting Adult Sons

Although this strange fact of Japanese life is only now becoming public knowledge, Western academia has known about this phenomenon for quite awhile. The American Journal of Comparative Law even put out a paper on the issue entitled “Sons and Lovers: Adoption in Japan.” News about this adoption custom is mainly spreading to the general public through a new Freakonomics report.

Dr. Vikas Mehorotra, who teaches finance at the University of Alberta, believes Japan adopts adult males mainly because family firms have always outperformed professionally run businesses in the home country. Dr. Vikas told Freakanomics,

If you compare the performance under different kinds of heirs, blood heirs versus adopted heirs, the superior performance of second-generation managed firms is pretty much entirely attributable to the adopted heir firms.

Japan is absolutely full of “family-run” businesses nowadays. Perhaps one of the most famous companies run by adopted sons is Suzuki. The current CEO of Suzuki, Osamu Suzuki, is actually the fourth adopted son to take the reigns of this automobile company.

Another big company to adopt sons is Matsui Securities, a large financial services firm. Even small businesses are known to practice adopting adult sons. The most famous example is the inn called Houshi Ryokan. This inn has been in the family for a whopping 46 generations, and it has used the practice of adopting adult males to pass on the business successfully throughout its 1,300-year history.

Cultural Precedent For Adopting Adult Sons

Of course, this cultural phenomenon didn’t just appear out of the blue. In fact, there’s a long history attached to the custom of adopting an adult male into the family. A few hundred years ago, Japan’s civil code determined how money was distributed once a person in the family died. As tradition dictates, the eldest male son gets most of the wealth. If a family has no biological sons, however, then the wealth and the business could go to an adopted son.

Many Japanese families in the past without sons would actively seek out sons to adopt in order to preserve the family’s wealth line. This tradition informs the practice of adopting a son into the business. Some Japanese actually try to both adopt a young man and marry him off to a daughter in the family. This truly keeps the wealth “in the family,” since the son becomes an adopted son-in-law.

While there is strong cultural and historical president for adopting adult males, the population woes of modern Japan make this practice even more attractive to businessmen. It’s just been reported that Japan has the most centenarians of any country in the industrialized world, and the country is well below replacement levels.

Statisticians say a country needs at least 2.1 births per woman to maintain a stable population. Japan currently has a fertility rate of only 1.4 births per woman. At the end of the day, it just makes good business sense for executives to adopt a son if they want to keep the wealth in the family.

There’s No End In Sight For This Japanese Adopting Custom

Most analysts believe this trend will only continue to increase in the future. Although a great deal has changed since the original civil code was adopted pre-World War II, most Japanese businessmen believe this is the best way to effectively pass wealth off in the family. Also, with the fact that more and more women are working longer hours and have no intention on having any children at all, most business leaders favor simply adopting an adult male they can trust to run the business well and enter into the family.

The Japanese are well-known for their conservatism, and with the growth in adoption/arranged marriage agencies, an increasingly aging population, as well as a low birth rate, this trend will probably remain in place for many years to come.

 

Image by Joi Ito, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

British public health workers are taking a stand against alcoholic advertisements. Specifically, these public health workers want to restrict ads targeted at young people. The Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), which now represents about 40 U.K. health NGOs, said many alcoholic companies are not complying with many British advertising laws concerning this issue. Members of the AHA fear the methods alcoholic advertisers now use could make more youngsters dependent on alcoholic products.

Recent Data On Alcohol Adverts And AHA’s Efforts

AHA’s renewed call for an alcohol advertising ban was inspired by a new article published in the journal Addiction. This article looked into 14 studies concerning the effects of alcoholic companies’ advertising policies on young people. Just a few claims made in these studies include the charge that alcohol companies deliberately broke voluntary codes of practice during the 2014 Fifa World Cup, and that most of the content used in alcoholic ads today is specifically designed to persuade young people to drink.

One professor involved in this research, Dr. Thomas Babor from the University of Connecticut, said,

These papers provide a wealth of information to support governments in their efforts to protect children…from exposure to alcohol marketing.

Taking their cue from Dr. Babor’s research, groups like the AHA have ramped up their efforts to combat alcoholic advertising Great Britain. Just a few weeks ago the AHA helped remove a TV ad put out by Captain Morgan that showed young people dancing on a ship while drinking rum. The British Advertising Standards Authority said the ad breached the very codes it put in place for TV advertising.

The AHA now wants alcohol companies to be restricted from showing ads on TV, in the movie theaters, and even from sponsoring sports teams. Although these are lofty goals, the AHA doesn’t want to stop there. The AHA told members of the media they want a comprehensive ban on all alcoholic advertising. Many AHA members point to the comprehensive ban in Norway as an example for what they want to see happen in the U.K.

What Alcoholic Companies Say About AHA’s Accusations

Industry experts believe AHA has an uphill battle against the alcoholic advertising companies. Members of the Alcohol Information Partnership (AIP), which is funded by the alcohol industry, critiqued the AHA’s proposed measures as “taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.” AIP went on to say,

The best way to reduce alcohol-related harm is to target programs and policies at harmful drinkers.

AIP members say the rate for youth alcohol consumption in the U.K. is very low right now. Currently only 17 percent of children between the ages of 8 to 15 admit to drinking on a regular basis. Another reason it looks unlikely the AHA will be able to enforce this ban on alcoholic advertising is the fact that most alcoholic companies are now reaching younger audiences on social media.

Advertising experts note that alcoholic companies are also reaching younger audiences by endorsing and funding interviews with stars in the music industry and professional sports.

Alcoholism In The Modern Day U.K.

Although youth drinking seems to be diminishing, the rate of alcohol abuse in the U.K. is still a major health issue. New statistics show that about 9 million people in England drink more than they should every day, and there are about 8,000 deaths in the U.K. each year directly related to alcohol. 7.5 million U.K. residents have no idea how harmful excessive drinking could be for the body’s system.

For those who don’t know, alcohol has been directly linked to over 60 medical conditions including liver cancer, high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver, and mouth cancer. Public health officials hope that by banning advertising more people in the U.K. can make wiser decisions about drinking at an earlier age.

 

Image source: pexels.com/photo/toast-romantic-festive-alcohol-33400/

The Syrian military announced on January 29, 2017, that they have recaptured the Wadi Barada Valley near Damascus from the rebels. This is about a month after the rebels poisoned the drinking water in Damascus. With the help of their allies, the Syrian military launched an offensive in the areas with the primary goal of seizing control of the water pumping station and major spring.

The Syrian Army Regained Control of the Wadi Barada Valley, Including the Major Spring in Ain al-Fija

Syrian government forces took down the rebel stronghold in the Wadi Barada valley, a geographic region in Syria. They officially regained full control of all the towns and cities in Wadi Barada by January 29, 2017.

It was on January 28 that they took over the spring in Ain al-Fija. The takeover was peaceful as it was included in their agreement with the rebels. Through a spokesperson, the Syrian military announced on Syrian state television that

“Units of our armed forces, together with allied forces have achieved their mission in returning security and stability.”

The Syrian allies who provided military support for taking back Wadi Barada include Russia, Iran, and the Lebanese group Hezbollah. The rebels, who have been fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, are leaving the area with their families for the insurgent stronghold Idlib province. They are safe to leave as per the agreement with the Syrian government. It’s common for the Syrian government to strike an agreement with the rebels that includes an evacuation clause.

This particular event has been called the Siege of Barada. It took place from November 19, 2013, to January 29, 2017. The siege is over now that the Syrian government is in control again.

More Background on the Siege of Wadi Barada

When the rebels poisoned the drinking water in Wadi Barada with diesel fuel, the Syrian government and its allies took action by conducting airstrikes and shelling. The major spring and pumping station provides most of the capital’s water.

Approximately 5.5 million people in Damascus, the capital of Syria, and its suburbs had been struggling to obtain clean water since it was cut off in December 2016. After cutting off supply for the safety of civilians, the water authority tapped into reserves, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

70% of Damascus’s water comes from the Ain al-Fijah spring and Barada River. Many people, therefore, had to buy from unregulated vendors with the hope it was safe. The water being sold during the shut off was twice the regular price as well, which is no surprise due to the economic laws of supply and demand. Some neighborhoods received up to two hours of water every three to four days, but others were completely dry.

This problem is not limited to the people in Damascus. The UN reported that 15 million people in the country have lost access to clean water. Syrian households spend almost 25% of their income on this basic life necessity.

Just a few weeks before Syria’s recapture of the Wadi Barada valley, the government regained control of Aleppo, which was one of the insurgents’ major urban strongholds. Aleppo was once the most populous city in Syria, but after the war, it is probably the second most populous Syrian city.

Conclusion

The recent recaptures of Wadi Barada valley and Aleppo are major victories for the Syrian government. It may put them on the course toward winning the Syrian civil war. This issue is problematic and a concern for the world because it’s the civilians who are suffering the most in the war-torn country.

The conflict also has the potential to fuel a third world war if it continues heating up tensions between Russia, the United States, and Europe. With some important leadership changes, such as Donald Trump becoming president of the United States, the future of Syria is even more uncertain.

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Some of President Donald Trump’s plans for America could fuel a trade war with Mexico, which would be damaging to both countries. Mexico would be hurt more by a trade war, but America wouldn’t be unscathed. Tensions have developed between Mexico and America because President Trump wants to build a wall on the border and apply tariffs to Mexican imports. Mexico has retaliated by pointing out they can increase tariffs on American imports too.

Mexico is Prepared to Retaliate If the U.S. President Continues with Wall Plan and Throwing Out NAFTA

In response to President Trump’s plans to build a wall between America and Mexico, the Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said:

“I regret and disapprove of the decision by the United States to continue with the construction of the wall, which has for years, far from uniting us, divided us.”

Mexico is open to renegotiating NAFTA but has warned that if the proposed changes didn’t further their interests, they would walk away from the deal. They have also stated that they would mirror any taxes or tariffs that the U.S. imposes on Mexican imports to America. Another way that Mexico can retaliate, as former officials pointed out, is by introducing a tax to corporate profits on American companies operating in their country.

Mexico’s options in retaliating aren’t limited to financial issues. They could make the illegal immigration problem that President Trump is unhappy about worse by no longer catching people who are attempting to sneak into America. According to the South China Morning Post, Mexico deported almost 150,000 migrants who were illegally heading toward America. Most of the migrants originated from Central America. Officials estimate that illegal migration to the United States could double without Mexico’s cooperation.

Our southern neighbor could also start refusing to cooperate on the drug war. They have worked with America at the border to inspect food and gather intelligence on drug cartels. President Nieto’s administration has arrested high-ranking cartel leaders, such as the head of the Sinaloa cartel Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Mexican law enforcement also helps decrease the import of heroin into the United States by arresting local producers.

Possible Repercussions of Withdrawing from NAFTA and Building the Wall

During his campaign trail, Donald Trump expressed dislike of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), a trade deal between Canada, America, and Mexico. It was signed by former U.S. president Bill Clinton in 1993 and went into effect in 1994. NAFTA eliminated almost all tariffs on goods traded between the three countries. President Trump criticizes the trade agreement for making it easy for American companies to move jobs to Mexico where labor is cheaper, then selling these goods in America.

The South China Morning Post reported that 80% of Mexico’s exports are sold in the United States. Imposing a tariff on these exports would hurt Mexico’s economy and likely push it into a recession. Ironically, the recession could drive more people to illegally enter the United States in search of jobs, something President Trump doesn’t want. Even if he has the wall built before imposing tariffs, Mexicans could fly to Canada and sneak into America through the northern border.

Trump’s actions have caused some Mexicans to feel like he doesn’t want friendly relations with them. Political analyst and College of Mexico college professor, Sergio Aguayo, stated:

“It’s evident that Mr. Trump wants vassals, not neighbors. What’s surprising is that he doesn’t understand that Mexico has a good number of measures at its disposal. We depend on each other in many ways. More than Trump imagines.”

A Trade War Between the U.S. and Mexico is on the Brink of Breaking Out

President Trump’s actions have created tensions between the U.S. and Mexico. If he continues with his plans of imposing a tariff on goods made in Mexico and building the wall, Mexico will retaliate. This could cause a trade war between the two countries. And neither side would turn out the winner.

Image Source: Wikipedia

On January 28, 2017, UK’s Prime Minister Theresa May closed a £20 billion trade deal with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. She met with President Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey where she stayed for lunch and discussed several issues. As part of the deal, Britain agreed to help develop £100 million worth of fighter jets for Turkey’s Air Force.

Britain and Turkey Enter Partnership to Develop Fighter Jets for Turkey’s Air Force

BAE Systems, a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in London, will help Turkish Aerospace Industries develop the new fighter jets for the country’s air force. TAI is the country’s national aerospace firm. BAE Systems signed the deal after talks at the Presidential Palace in Ankara. Ian King, CEO of BAE Systems, thinks it’s an exciting step in fostering relations between Turkey and the United Kingdom.

President Erdogan agreed he would increase trade to £20 billion. Turkey currently trades £16 billion with the UK. According to Prime Minister May, the defense deal

“underlines once again that Britain is a great, global, trading nation.”

National security was also discussed during the meeting. Europe is counting on Turkey to defend its important eastern side. Prime Minister May referred to Turkey as one of the UK’s oldest friends and expressed an interest in developing a relationship with them again.

Just hours before her meeting with President Erdogan, Prime Minister May met with the U.S. President Donald Trump. Both of these meetings were significant. They also marked her first time paying visits to the leaders of the US and Turkey since she became Prime Minister. It sets the tone for future meetings and relations with the two countries.

How UK Citizens Reacted to the Defense Deal and What the Future Holds for Britain’s Partnership with Turkey

Supporters of Brexit, the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, view this defense deal as an example of what Britain can accomplish without the EU. While talking to the media, Prime Minister May and President Erdogan confirmed they would continue building relations between the two countries, especially after Brexit.

The UK’s official exit from the EU will begin at the end of March with the submission of Article 50. This is a section of the European Union treaty that outlines how a country may voluntarily leave the EU.

Critics in the UK said they would be disappointed if Prime Minister May didn’t bring up human rights during the meeting with President Erdogan. After the 2016 coup d’etat attempt in Turkey, the country has arrested, dismissed, and suspended over 140,000 people. Turkey also imprisons more journalists than any other country in the world.

Prime Minister May listened to the criticism and touched on human rights during her meeting with President Erdogan.

“I am proud that the UK stood with you on July 15th last year in defense of your democracy. Now it is important that Turkey sustains that democracy by maintaining the rule of law and upholding its human rights obligations as the government has undertaken to do.”

Why Britain’s Defense Deal with Turkey is Important

This deal is important because it opens the door to a potentially stronger defense partnership between the UK and Turkey. It will also likely secure jobs in both countries for decades. The defense deal is one of the first trade-related accords to go in effect after the UK leaves the European Union.

Turkey is aiming to increase spending on trade with Britain to £20 billion, a £4 billion increase. This agreement shows that Britain is capable of making good deals with countries on its own, something a few opposers of Brexit thought wouldn’t be possible.

Image Source: Pixabay

On January 25, 2017, the Philippines conducted an airstrike in the southern portion of the country that killed 15 Islamic State militants and severely injured Isnilon Hapilon, a most wanted terrorist.. Seven other ISIS militants were injured during the airstrike.

One of the deceased individuals is believed to be from Indonesia. 11 of the dead militant bodies haven’t been recovered. The Philippines initiated the airstrike to help prevent terrorist groups from spreading to a new region.

Philippines Airstrike Killed 15 Islamic State Militants and Injured 7 as They Try Establishing a New Base

According to Gen. Eduardo Ano, Military Chief of Staff in the Philippines, one of the bodies recovered by troops is suspected to be an Indonesian militant. The other three were confirmed to be Filipino militants. The fighters were followers of Isnilon Hapilon, a Filipino who swore allegiance to terrorist organization ISIS in 2014.

Hapilon is one of the top terror suspects in Southeast Asia. Shortly after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, he established Dawlatul Islam Wilayatul Mashriq, an alliance consisting of at least 10 small militant groups. He was originally stationed at the ISIS stronghold in Basilan, an island province in the southern Philippines.

Hapilon was injured on the outskirts of Butig town in Lanao del Sur province after the Philippines air force dropped six 500-pound bombs on January 25 and January 26. He sustained an arm injury and was losing blood. The man’s followers carried him around on a stretcher attempting to find safety, but they failed to escape from Lanao because troops are blocking exit points.

Military Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Ano explained:

“We’re making it very difficult for them to move around and survive.”

More Background on Hapilon and the Philippine’s Future Plans

It is believed that the terrorist was supposed to develop an Islamic State branch in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Department of Justice has him listed as one of the most wanted terrorists in the world. They are offering up to $5 million for his capture.

Hapilon hasn’t been in Butig for long. He moved there about a month ago from his stronghold in Basilan, and 30 militants traveled with the known terrorist to look for a new base. ISIS group commanders allegedly wanted Hapilon to set up a base in Lanao because it provided more security than his base on Basilan. It would have served as a springboard to spread their influence in the Philippines.

The Philippines was given the FA50s they used in the airstrike from South Korea in 2015. This airstrike was the first time the Philippines used the fighter jets during a combat mission. They have received four FA50s and are set to acquire 12 more by July.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pointed out this event

“is significant because it will derail their plan to expand the IS presence to mainland Mindanao.”

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has acknowledged that the establishment of ISIS-influenced militant groups is a major national security threat. He has also instructed the military to destroy small extremist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf who engage in kidnappings, beheadings, and bombings.

The Philippines plans on continuing to go after ISIS without easing up. Col. Edgard Arevalo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office Chief, declared:

 “Our focused military operations backed by intelligence from the community and available wherewithals of the AFP will be unrelenting.”

They plan on completely eradicating the terrorist groups in Western Mindanao by the end of June 2017.

Summing It Up

The airstrike in Lanao is important because it disrupted terrorist plans to set up a new base in the region. An Islamic State militant leader who’s wanted in the U.S. for a $5 million reward was injured in the airstrike. His men haven’t been able to help him escape because the military blocked all exit points. Currently, the Philippines has 12 more fighter jets scheduled to arrive by July.

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Greece has been in economic turmoil for several years. Instead of getting better, the chaos continues, often at the expense of the everyday citizen who cannot access the same level of support as before. The monetary crisis has now made its way into the Greek healthcare system, jeopardizing people even after basic healthcare procedures.

The Danger of the Greek Healthcare System

The healthcare system in Greece can only be described as chaos, at least according to the people who live there. They are too afraid to go to the hospital for treatment, out of fear of dying for something that should normally be a trivial procedure.

Unfortunately, doctors and nurses in Greece’s hospitals lack the supplies they need to provide even basic services, let alone the standard of care found in places like the U.S., U.K., France, and elsewhere. Even antibacterial soap is in short supply in Greek hospitals.

In these circumstances, people who are in the hospital are often put to bed in gurneys that have not been sanitized. People who go in for routine surgeries often leave in body bags thanks to a shocking lack of sanitation equipment, as well as antibiotics. When antibiotics are available, they are sometimes given to people who do not need them, leading to these individuals building up a resistance to mes that could kill them later, if they contract a bacterial infection.

Even the youngest Greek citizens are not exempt from the risk of dying in the country’s hospitals. People who live there say that birthing wards and NICU units are so poorly kept that babies increasingly are dying, instead of coming home with their parents.

The Greek healthcare system has reached a level of crisis never before experienced in the European Union. It even led to international economists offering solutions for how to protect the citizens and get the country back on track, but so far the Greek authorities don’t seem to be listening.

Solving the Debt Crisis in Greece

The crisis of the country’s healthcare system should prompt its own leaders to try any solution they can to get the country back on track. Still, none of the officials seem willing to go outside of their own comfort zones in order to attempt more radical solutions for solving the country’s problems.

Their apparent refusal to consider ways out does not mean that economists from around the world have refrained from offering tips for dealing with the debt crisis. These economic experts say that Greece should try several different options for getting its economy back on track and funneling more money into the infrastructure.

The first step that Greece’s leaders should take involves allowing an outright default to occur. Instead of making the minimum payments on debts or simply kicking the proverbial can down the road to deal with it later, Greece should default on its debts and go bankrupt. Going bankrupt would be better than spending money on debts that it cannot afford to pay.

A bankruptcy would bar Greece from the global lending market for a few years. However, like South American countries that recently used this method of healing their own debt crises, Greece could reenter the market comfortably in another few years. In the meantime, the bankruptcy would give it the money it would normally pay on debts to put back into its economy.

Greece has a monetary crisis the likes of which were not seen before in the EU. This crisis puts its healthcare system at grave risk. The country’s leaders are advised to allow an outright default to happen to help stabilize the economy and free up some money to go back into the healthcare system and overall economy.

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