(Team leader, Rotarian, Governor of the Prison of Halmstad)
The selections were made in September 1994. Among 47 young applicants, four were finally chosen. The competition was very hard. During a period of time until May the group got together on several different occasions, mainly in connection with weekends. Things we had to prepare were for example the air flights, clothes, knowledge of Japan, information about ourselves in different pamphlets and insurance. The biggest question was, however, how to give final shape to the program about Sweden and about ourselves, which we were to present in Japan. We got a strong support from the district governor, the GSE-chairman as well as from earlier team-leaders and committee members. All these people we met on different occasions. I also had many valuable contacts per fax and telephone with Mr. Shigeo Matsuoka in Osaka but also with the Rotary Office in Evanston.
There were several occasions when the group felt that nothing specific happened, that we didn't get anywhere. It may seem that a period from September to May is a long time but time flies. Some worry, of course, spread among all of us involved, when Kobe was struck by the terrible earthquake in January. We are particularly grateful that the trip could be made possible in spite of this frightful incident, where also several Rotarians were to some extent affected. The Japanese group from district 2660 in Osaka we met at a party on April 28th. We had received the program from Osaka well in time before departure. It contained all essential facts and information.
We departed by air flight directly from Copenhagen on May 4th and arrived at Kansai International Airport (KIX) on May 5th. We got a warm and nice welcome from the members of the GSE -committee and were then taken to the Hotel New Otani. This hotel is worth a chapter of its own. Here we stayed during the first few days and then every Saturday night. Excellent rooms, good food and with a first rate service. Polite and charming girls/ladies with good knowledge of languages in the reception and hard working bell-captains and bell-boys. A hotel to be recommended. The possibility for the group of staying together during weekends was very successful. Here each one of us could relax in his or her own way or in the group. Clothes had to be put in order, presents prepared as well as the program for next week. The first days we spent at the hotel with our own excursions in Osaka. We discovered in due course that everything was very big in Osaka compared to what we were used to. Osaka City has more than two millions inhabitants and Osaka Prefecture has almost nine millions about as much as the whole population of Sweden. On Sunday May 7th a dinner to welcome us was arranged at the hotel. All the host families were invited and also many other Rotarians from all the clubs. The governor Tadao Nakano greeted us welcome and already at this occasion we got to know the families we were to stay with. Their curiosity and engagement for our visit was warm and grateful. It was a very good start to our stay. This week-end we also met the GSE-committee and together we went through the program for the group as well as the vocational studies.
On Saturday May 13th the group made a visit to the Osaka Science Museum together with other exchange students. In the afternoon we visited the District Conference at the Festival Hall. The conference had about 3000 participants and the governor introduced each one of us, at which occasion we had to stand up. Even the mayor, Mr. Nishio, mentioned our visit in his speech.
What I have appreciated most of all is having had the opportunity of meeting many new people, Japanese women and men, Rotarians and other representatives of companies and the like. Of course, my host families are included. Every family contributed in their own way to make the stay an unforgettable experience. Many thanks to my host families: Mr. and Mrs. Nakamura and their son, Mr. and Mrs. Sakamoto, Mr. and Mrs. Kamei and their son, Mr. and Mrs. Nishio and their daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Kitamura and their children. Special thanks to all my "mothers" in the host families who took very good care of me in many ways. The program was very well prepared. Responsible for this was mainly the chairman of the GSE committee Mr. Ohuchi and Mr. Matsuoka. They were always at hand. We met them several times a week and they always solved our problems. Other members of the committee were Mr. Chikaraishi, Mr. Kashimura, Mr. Hashimoto and Mr. Ohno. All these men contributed in a fantastic way and their help and friendship we shall never forget. Mr. Kashimura was kind enough to accompany me on all my vocational days and I believe the visits were interesting even for him.
As there were changes in the program on some occasions it was valuable to have a special weekly program with the latest news. During our trip we made several visits to different Rotary clubs. At 13 occasions we presented our program. It could take from a couple of minutes to the full 15 minutes for the complete program. Of course problems with the language occurred, because everything had to be interpreted. At most of our visits we were honored with the Swedish national anthem but even Swedish flags welcomed us. The Osaka Rotary Club even served Swedish Princess Cake for dessert. At the different visits we were very well taken care of and we exchanged standards and gifts. Without mentioning details I notice that they have another procedure at their meetings in Japan than we have in Sweden. Certain things I thought were better in Japan. We were also just as warmly received at our visits of study. Knowledgeable guides and representatives for the different companies showed us around and in many places the introduction was made by showing a video. Everywhere, and on all other occasions, something to drink was servedtea, ice-coffee or juice very nice. In order to reach all these places and meetings we used trains, underground, private cars, taxis and long walks. Sometimes during the program we were very short of time. In these cases you could notice the patience of the Japanese in the difficult traffic situation. At the same time courtesy and respect was shown to one another. A great positive experience was the Japanese food. A large and very divergent offer of healthy food from morning to evening. If you didn't have too much of the very tasteful beer and whisky you were capable of using the chopsticks very well.
The behavior and the way of being of the Japanese fascinated me. Everywhere, not just among Rotarians and host families. We were met by kindness, respect, courtesy, gratitude and humility and I felt very welcome in every way and had a splendid time.
My own wishes concerning visits of study were of course such visits which had a connection to my own profession. I had the time to visit three prisons, a prosecution authority, assize court, court of appeal, the traffic police and fire authority. All visits were very well prepared and I was warmly greeted and well taken care of in all places. The first separate visit of study was to the Osaka Prison in Sakai City. The prison was built in 1882. A comprehensive reconstruction was started in 1987 and is to be finished next year. Today the prison has room for 2445 prisoners, which will be reduced to 2000 prisoners from March next year. Number of personnel is 653 persons. Together with his closest collaborators the governor guided me through the prison. There were an enormous discipline and order both among personnel and prisoners. Full occupation prevailed and there was nothing wrong with the rate of working. No prisoner lifted his head or even looked up as we passed through the work shops. The prisoners were keeping in step in running to and from work. The prisoners have one week of introduction and are divided in four different classes. Which class you belong to is affected by how the prisoner behaves. The better his behavior is, the more advantages he gets. The kind of work, studies and special programs of influence for addicts are similar to the ones we have in Sweden. The differences seem to be escapes and addiction within the prisonsit doesn't seem to exist in this prison. Leaves granted are very rare and unsupervised visits are unknown. The prison in Wakayama was built in 1870 and became a prison for women in 1946. Today there were 311 women present but the capacity was 486. There were 123 employees of which 93 were women. The average length of punishment was about 2.5 years but seven women served a life time sentence. According to information there was room for 1500 women in five different prisons in Japan.
The most common offenses were robbery and drugs. 30% of the women were about 50 years old. Outside one of the houses within the prison area there was a sign with the Rotary emblem. Any correct answer to why it was there, I never got, neither at that time nor later. My second institutional visit was to the prison of Kakogawa. The prison came into use in 1949 after earlier having been a military establishment. Today there is room for 566 prisoners. 120 places are reserved for criminals of traffic offenses. In the prison there are only male prisoners, none younger than 26 years of age. Out of the criminals of traffic offenses 39% were convicted for having driven a car without a driving license, 17% had been intoxicated when driving a car and 44% had no driving license and had been intoxicated. Half of the criminals of traffic offenses had been involved in some kind of traffic accident. The sections for criminals of traffic offenses were completely separated from the prison. Here you could find training tracks for car driving, cars for training etc. and the prisoners could achieve temporary driving licenses during their time in prison. The whole prison was imprinted by very good order and there was plenty of occupation of varying kind. Questions about drugs within the prison and escapes were unfamiliar to the personnel.
It was a very interesting visit here as well as to the other prisons, very much owing to the very nice treatment and great engagement from the personnel. I also had the opportunity of visiting the courts in Osaka. I met the governor of the district court as well as the governor of the High Court. We exchanged experiences and I delivered quite a lot of information in English about prison service in Sweden. I also spread the same information at all visits of study to the prisons. The Supreme court is situated in Tokyo. In addition to this there are 8 High Courts, 50 Family Courts, 50 District Courts and 448 Summary Courts.
I was present at one trial. No jurors were present, only a judge, a district attorney and a lawyer. The procedure seemed to be the same as in Sweden. Accused was a man, who "only" had used drugs. The district attorney claimed 1.5 years in prison. The decision of the court was to be announced within two weeks.
Lars and I made a visit of study together to the Osaka police traffic control center with concentration towards its traffic control. This department has 54 persons employed and here the traffic is among other things supervised on an enormous board. 24 cameras watch all main roads in and out of Osaka. Hard work is being done giving information to the motorists, in at least seven different ways. This includes radio messages, for not less than eight different radio companies to each one in their own compartment in this department. One also has five helicopters at one's disposal. Osaka Prefecture has about 20,000 employees. There are 64 different police stations, 650 KOBAN (police-box) and 277 patrol cars. During 1994, 990,000 emergency calls were receivedon an average 2,500 a day. In the control center there are 140 policemen working 3 shifts.
On Friday June 2nd Anders and Lars visited The Fire Department Headquarters. Altogether there are 3,600 persons employed. There are 25 larger fire stations and 64 smaller ones. 292 different kinds of fire vehicles, 2 helicopters, 3 boats and 53 ambulances. In the Fire Fighting Operation Command and Information Center, 21 persons work by shifts of 2 hours. 223 telephone lines are installed and you can get about 1,000 calls a day. On the average four fires occur every day and since the turn of the year 624 fires.
It was interesting to see how they had been forced to adapt the size of the motor fire-engines to the size of roads and crossings, because it is tremendously narrow in certain parts and blocks in the city. All emergency vehicles have a red warning light which is unknown to us. Our blue light is being used in Japan in other connections, which did disturb us a little. Twinkling lights in all forms are being used in many different ways and in many different situations. To us it was somewhat puzzling.
Several months before our departure we heard that a trip to Hiroshima was planned in our program. The earth quake disaster in Kobe contributed to some changes of plans, among other things this visit. The repair of the railway wouldn't be ready until summer but Japanese efficiency and energy made the line ready a couple of weeks before our arrival. As it is more than 50 years since the first atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima, the group had special and strong wishes to get there. Several Rotarians helped making it possible to arrange a trip by train to Hiroshima on Saturday May 20th. This day the emperor visited Hiroshima and our program had to be adapted to this fact. There was a demonstration against the emperor and the city was full of policemen and security people. On our walk to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which made a strong and unforgettable impression, we saw among other things Pearl Clock Tower, Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound, Peace Bell, Peace Fountain, Peace Claim, Children's Peace Monument and of course the A bomb Dome. Thank you once again for giving us the possibility of visiting Hiroshima.
