Imagining a “unique summer”: Research activities during the COVID-19 pandemic Ryo Matsumaru Vice Director of the Center The summer of 2020 was supposed to be a “unique discussions with people who were not able to talk face- summer,” a special time when the Tokyo Olympics to-face in the past. In fact, since the center’s plenary and Paralympics were to be held, with crowds of session was held remotely, the number of attendees visitors coming from overseas to join in the events increased, and although it is currently not possible and excitement. However, due to the pandemic of the to conduct research activities overseas, I have been COVID-19 worldwide, the Olympics and Paralympics able to have more frequent face-to-face meetings with have been postponed, and we are now stagnating in a the partners I collaborate with for research and other different kind of “unique summer” with no foreseeable activities. In addition to remote conferencing tools, exit, as people have been asked to refrain from both idea-sharing tools suitable for online group work and domestic and international travel. It is easy to imagine tools suitable for poster sessions have also become that these “unique” circumstances will continue available, with such tools continuing to evolve every for some time until the use of effective treatments day. We have become proficient in the use of these tools and preventative vaccines for this novel coronavirus as we have been forced to adapt to various restrictions becomes widespread. over the past few months. This manuscript was written in August 2020 during There is no question that many things cannot be the Obon holiday period in Japan. For researchers understood without visiting the concerned location. belonging to our center, the university’s summer However, by mastering the use of tools that can bring vacation period is an important time to pursue research us as close to the “real” experience as possible after both in and out of Japan, especially overseas field understanding their advantages and disadvantages, research activities. Although there would be many it will be possible to continue research activities in researchers conducting activities overseas under collaboration with active organizations in the field normal circumstances, there are no researchers and local researchers even in situations where it is not traveling abroad this year. Thus, the spread of the possible to travel to the research site in areas affected COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our research by infectious diseases or even conflicts, and it may be activities. However, while implementing what can be possible to present solutions for the realization of SDGs said to be an emergency response, I have recognized in a form suitable for the field. several things brought about by the pandemic that Although we are currently unable to travel abroad, we have not been all bad. The most important of these is will certainly be able to do so again in the future. For the rapid introduction of digital tools, such as remote now, establishing research methods that utilize digital conferencing software. A variety of easy-to-use tools tools will broaden the scope of research and will surely have been developed and the hurdles to effective strengthen the center’s role as a research platform. remote meetings have been lowered. Further, these (This article was the preface of Japanese Newsletter No. tools allow the restrictions of location and movement 52, published in September 2020.) to be overcome, creating more opportunities to have Gender research on housework and childcare in Japan Daisuke Ito Researcher According to the 2020 United Nations Sustainable that have not yet been evaluated), there were four Development Report, Japan’s level of SDG achievement that were stagnant or worsening. One of these SDGs ranks 17th out of 193 countries, and when considering is “Goal 5: Gender Equality.” Despite the fact that the evaluation of each of the 17 goals (including those gender equality has been promoted in Japan since 1999, the current situation indicates that only minimal was unclear. (It is possible that wives choose to work progress has been made. For example, with respect to shorter hours anticipating to handle most of the time devoted to housework/childcare, although there housework and childcare; hence, the causal relationship are some differences depending on conditions such is reverse. My current research uses data from a as the number of family members living in the same longitudinal study with three waves, and I intend to household, employment status of wives and husbands, clarify a causal relationship. and age of the youngest child, the time women devoted In addition, I, along with Dr. Chino Yabunaga, am to housework/childcare is 2.0-3.5 times greater than conducting a study named “Learning to Coparent: A the time devoted by men (2020 White Paper on Gender Longitudinal, Cross-national Study on Construction Equality.) It was also pointed out that women tend of Coparenting in Transition to parenthood,” which to accompany men when they engage in childcare or was introduced in Newsletter No. 51. In addition to housework. For instance, going shopping with their interviewing each member of the couples on two wives and hanging out at the park with wives and occasions (before and after childbirth), we plan to children are common. collect surveys from 400 couples before and after I conducted a statistical analysis to identify what childbirth. Coparenting is said to be influenced factors influence wives’ and husbands’ time devoted by attitudes toward gender equality, workplace to housework and childcare. More specifically, I environment, and family-related policies. Specific examined how wives’ relative income (for example, survey questions will cover topics such as gender, if the total annual household income is 6 million yen, self-confidence in child-rearing, work-life balance, this figure would be 33% if the wife earns 2 million use of support for child-rearing, and individualism/ yen per year or 50% if the wife earns 3 million yen), collectivism. A survey using a similar questionnaire the absolute value of wives’ and husbands’ income, will also be conducted by Finnish and Portuguese and working hours impacted time spent on housework research teams who are part of this international and childcare. The data used for this study was cross- comparative study. We plan to use the research results sectional, and a causal relationship between variables to promote the practice of co-parenting. Toward Appropriate Technology Transfer of the “Fukuoka Method” Yasushi Matsufuji Visiting Researcher 1. Introduction Japan today, the situation in Japan was similar in the Due to global warming, large-scale natural disasters 1970s, when the authors began their careers as waste have occurred in many countries in recent years, giving researchers. Academically, there was also a lack of rise to major social concerns. The “waste problem” scientific knowledge in the field of landfill science in particular has become very serious in the African at that time, and each day saw new questions and region, where there has been rapid urbanization and challenges. population growth in recent years. This region has also Therefore, the authors believe that the first step in suffered repeated landfill-related disasters that require technology transfer to developing countries is to test urgent technical solutions to address “waste landfills.” the practical science learned at landfill sites while Under these circumstances, the authors received a remembering the road traveled to reach that point. request from the United Nations Human Settlements Overcoming this and participating in technology Programme (UN-HABITAT) Regional Office for Asia transfer operations related to landfills in developing and the Pacific (ROAP)-Fukuoka for engagement countries often lead to difficulties, abandonment of related to “technical support regarding landfills using plans, and significant delays in planning. the Fukuoka method.” They have since been carrying Features of the Fukuoka method are compatible with out improvement projects at multiple landfills in the the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) African region over the past several years. In this strategy: paper, the authors, based on their experience with ① Low cost these projects, provide their views regarding the most ② Simple technology appropriate landfill-related technology transfer. ③ Environmentally friendly technology, etc. However, in many cases, sufficient Fukuoka method 2. Toward an appropriate technology transfer of the technology transfer cannot always be achieved without Fukuoka Method considering the above-mentioned six limited conditions. Developing countries, for which the Fukuoka method Obstacles will also occur frequently with regard to the is designed, often initiate such technology transfers sustainability aspect. with a request to Japan made at the intergovernmental By contrast, some Japanese engineers involved in level in relatively urgent scenarios. technology transfers lack sufficient understanding As such, these transfers are requested in light of the and experience of the “Fukuoka method.” As a result resource limitations of these countries, specifically of essentially performing a “copy and paste” of the a “Lack of the ‘6Ms’” (Lack of Money, Manpower, technical guidelines for this “semi-aerobic landfill Material, Maintenance, Management, and Motivation.) style” created in Japan, the characteristics of the While these