The issue of heavy debtors has become serious. This paper seeks to extract and generalize the factors for heavy debt, to examine the social background of such factors from the viewpoint of genders, and to show effective methods for resolution. The data used here consist of consultation records of married persons who visited counselors specialized in family expenses (302 males, 150 females). In this paper, I classified the incomes and expenses that increased the debts of those who sought consultation. Then, I analyzed the multiplicity of causes, mutual relations between causes, and relations among the family members of the persons who sought consultation. As a result, I was able to extract four factors for heavy debt : income, occupation, credit and saving. I also found that these factors are due to social dangers resulting from “the type of family that assumes males as breadwinners, ” which is based on the division of roles by genders in Japan. In conclusion, it is necessary for married persons to pursue a double income instead of a single income, which is vulnerable to risks and that it is essential to establish a lifestyle free from gender-based differences.

View full abstract

Hokkaido played an important role, accepting part of an increasing number of those who had been repatriated or demobilized from overseas as well as developing and supplying resources for the postwar reconstruction of Japan. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the wage and income level of workers' households in Hokkaido soon after World War II. The author made use of some statistical data from the following publications : “Monthly Wage Survey” compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Ministry of Labor, and “Consumer Price Survey” (1946 onward), “Worker's Family Income Survey” (1948 onward) and “Family Income and Expenditure Survey” (1950 onward) compiled by the Bureau of Statistics of the Prime Minister's Office as well as other survey reports about Hokkaido. The results of this study are as follows : The total wage as well as the income level of workers' households in Hokkaido rose in the 1950's thanks to the economic policy enforced by the Administration and to the special procurements during the Korean War that tremendously helped Japan's post-war economic recovery. The “cold-district allowance” that was issued in summer raised the wage and income level of the residents in Hokkaido by about 10 percent. It should be noted, however, that the allowance was meant for the necessaries of winter life : renewing radiators, stocking vegetables for winter, and purchasing clothes for cold months, for instance. In other words, families were unable to live in comfort with the wage or salary earned by the head of the family alone; other family members had to earn income to supplement their family budget, working part-time or getting some homework.

View full abstract

The effect of different kinds of seasoning on the emulsifying properties of a simulated mayonnaise oil/water emulsion prepared with diacylglycerol (DAG) was compared with that prepared with triacylglycerol (TAG). Sodium chloride (salt), mustard, pepper and sucrose were used as seasonings at respective concentrations of 3.3%, 3.3%, 1.7% and 3.3% in the aqueous phase. The addition of salt greatly increased the viscosity of the emulsions prepared with both DAG and TAG, while the other seasonings had no effect. The effect of salt alone on the viscosity and size distribution of oil globules in the emulsions was also examined by adding salt in the range of 0-12%. The viscosity of those emulsions prepared with DAG was markedly increased with a 1-2% concentration of salt, while no emulsion was formed when the salt concentration was 4% or more. However, the addition of salt at a concentration of 1% greatly decreased the median diameter of the oil globules in the emulsions prepared with either DAG or TAG, although any higher salt concentration had no further effect. The viscosity of the emulsions prepared with TAG proportionally increased with increasing salt concentration.

View full abstract

The physical and morphological properties of cooked rice were comparatively studied for two different strains, Hatsushimo and Koshihikari, with and without salt (sodium chloride) during cooking. The physical properties of the cooked rice were evaluated with low- and high-clearance methods by texturometry. Under low compression, no significant strain difference in the texturometric properties was found for both boiling conditions. Under high compression cooked Hatsushimo in the presence of salt was found to be harder, less sticky, and more cohesive than in the absence of salt, whereas no significant difference was found with Koshihikari. A histological evaluation of the cross section of Hatsushimo cooked with salt indicated a clear radial size distribution of the endosperm cells, smaller in the center and larger or even swollen at the periphery. This observation matches the suppression of swelling as well as the physical properties of Hatsushimo. The water absorption of 50% polished rice of both strains was greater than that of the 10% polished rice. Regarding the strain difference, Hatsushimo absorbed significantly less water than Koshihikari, but there was no clear difference with 1% NaCl. The addition of salt significantly suppressed the water absorption independently from the strain and the polishing level. This result suggested that the addition of salt may have substantially suppressed the water absorption of Hatsushimo. Total crude proteins extracted from the rice with salt solution was higher than that from with water alone when analyzed by the micro-Kjeldal method. Multiple fractions in the extracts shown by the SDS-PAGE analysis indicated the presence of albumin, globulin and glutelin. These findings suggest that the water absorptivity in the core region may have been strongly affected by the protein solubility at the periphery which was sodium chloride-dependent, and it may hence be important in determining the rice taste after cooking.

View full abstract

Although architectural countermeasures for problems such as the sick building syndrome have been promoted in recent years, countermeasures addressing the health concerns of residents have yet to be studied in detail. To investigate this subject from the viewpoint of the residents' living environment, a questionnaire survey was conducted in a student dormitory, and the results correlated with previously obtained formaldehyde concentrations. More than half of the residents reported subjective symptoms. The most notable being an irritating odor, which was reported by many residents who moved in immediately after the building was constructed. The results obtained by the logistic regression analysis showed that both the frequency of ventilation by residents and the length of their stay indoors as well as whether or not they had some type of allergic disease were recognized as the factors which influenced the declaration rate of the symptom in addition to the room attribute. Therefore, it is important for residents to take individual measures to improve the quality of the living environment and living style, and prevent health damage.

View full abstract

As a result of my analysis of “Ie-no-Hikari” magazine published from 1925 to 1935, the followings are found : 1. The improvement of living conditions in a farming village was described in detail although the number of reports was limited. 2. The magazine focused on reports compiled to enlighten its readers in its initial publications, and turned to practical reports from the 1930 publications onwards. 3. The improvement of living conditions were implemented either by individuals, groups and cooperatives. 4. The reports from individuals were objectively written, and the majority was from males. 5. There were group activity reports from females about lecture meetings, free discussions on kitchen reform, and “Koh” mutual finance association. 6. The cooperative activities helped farmers in turning their farming into an efficient and economical business. It became a daily routine for the farmers to sit and read news-papers at the community bath house and discuss among themselves about their farm management and house reform. The reform of the farmhouse and the improvement of living conditions continued in early Showa era or from around 1930. Although there were not many reports from females, the reports in “Ie-no-Hikari” magazine made me aware that the energetic activities of females as well as the improvement of living conditions at that time set a good example for the postwar reform of farming households in this county since 1945.

View full abstract

A comparison is made of the main components in various autumn carrot varieties cultivated in Hokkaido. The averages of the main components were sugar at 6.4 g/100g, dietary fiber at 2.7 g/100g, protein at 0.9g/100 g, free amino acid at 261 mg/100g, potassium at 304 mg/100g, calcium at 23 mg/100g, magnesium at 9 mg/100g, phosphorus at 31 mg/100g and dry matter at 10.8%. Sugar constituted more than a half in the dry matter of the carrot. Sucrose represented half of the sugar composition, with glucose and fructose making up the remaining composition in about equal measure. Nineteen free amino acids were shown by a quantitative analysis, glutamin representing about 40% of the total. A principal component analysis of the main carrot components showed that about 65% of the carrot varieties fell within the range in which principal component No. 1 was proportional to principal component No. 2.

View full abstract