The Planetary Society of Japan : Column

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YM COLUMN ARCHIVE

April 16, 2008

“KU-MA” is ready to go in two months

To begin with, I would like to let you know of urgent news that NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is to broadcast the program related to space education for about six minutes on NHK general channel at 2:05pm this afternoon on April 16 (Wed). Tune in on the channel, please.

NPO “KU-MA” (Kodomo-Children, Uchu-Space and Mirai-Future Association) is getting ready to be established in two more months time. As the office is located in front of the railway station of Fuchinobe, its registration is to be approved by Kanagawa prefecture. As reported before, we finished necessary procedures of filing registration and public inspection period will be over any time now without any problem, so its authorization is expected to be almost assured in two more months. The objectives of KU-MA are to help children of not only Japan but of the world to grow full of curiosity, adventurous spirits and mastery mind by learning the preciousness of life from attractive space so as to eventually lead children become healthy and energetic grown-ups. That is to say this is the organization for the adults by targeting children. Even from before its official approval, quite a number of people have been expressing their wishes to join in our membership. It is very much encouraging indeed.

It is considered that each individual member is, by sharing the above-mentioned concept and not by depending upon something authoritative, to play his or her own role on their free will to make one’s own base of operation so as to take a part in creating a big social trend of flow. The privileges of members are to receive periodical information on space activities of the world as well as information on “Seminar on Cultivating Space Education Leaders”, “Space Lectures” and “Space Study Meeting”, which will be held in various places through cooperation with JAXA and YAC (Young Astronaut Club-Japan) and other youth cultivating organizations. The members have special rights to attend the meetings. Of course, it is quite welcome for the KU-MA members to give one’s own lecture to children by taking advantage of his or her valuable career experiences and knowledge.

What is most expected of the members is to organize local activities of space education based upon KU-MA concept. YAC, too, is based on the same concept and has 124 squads all over Japan to which you are welcome to lead those squads or to make a new squad club in your community. And not just those activities alone. Whether it is Boy Scout or Invention Club, only if the vision of the activities is to share with those of KU-MA that aims at coordination with other entities of youth cultivation, then if all activities are united for a common purpose, it will grow a very powerful interest group along the same vector for the healthy growth of children of Japan.

There are many friends of mine who are retired from career to spend his time to enjoy playing golf or traveling abroad with wife, most of whom eventually got bored with all such things and start thinking if one could be of any use for society. Most cases with such men seem to be that even though one tries to find something good to do but fail in finding it after all so that one could do nothing but idle away days, months and years. It’s really a waste and big loss for society not to be able to give a chance to such people who are once determined to serve one-selves for the sake of community. Not just on a mere casual idea or a thought by chance, I believe that it is essentially important to combine all works in creating a big global trend so that such activities will be able to effectively contribute to society. KU-MA will help you to find such opportunity and to try to make efforts together with you according to your environments.

Imaging KU-MA members’ activities will be such as follows:

To give children a lecture or performance.
Space education activity through cooperation with classroom teachers.
Assistance to various events planned and hosted by KU-MA.
Assistance to youth cultivating organization in partnership with KU-MA.
Foundation and management of the organization where children can foster their dreams in a cooperative manner.
To participate in the work of producing educational materials of KU-MA mainly obtained from space itself and achievements of space activities.
To participate in producing a proposal for space activities of Japan.
Other various activities related to development of each activity.

KU-MA aims at “kindling a fire in children’s mind” and we believe that the “fire” to fuel to light children’s mind exists within children themselves, which means that it is something never to be brought from outside. KU-MA is to give a helping hand for fuel to reach kindling point. Probably, “space”, too, should not be brought of its materials from outside. As I said before, KU-MA is now preparing to setup “One Thousand Member Committee” that loves space and will give advices and proposals to KU-MA. Among the members listed up for the committee, there are many you will find really surprising.

I have another idea separate from “One Thousand Member Committee”. Shoin Yoshida is very much respected in Hagi city. Every local community must have provincial heroes such as Saigo-san in Kagoshima and Nobunaga Oda in Komaki. Not just people but also “Battleship Yamato” for instance is a local pride and treasure for Kure city. Those local “treasures” of historical figures and heritages, if studied deeply, could definitely play an important role as educational materials to cultivate children’s mind. If we could connect these historical figures and events with space (even though somewhat forcibly), they will be formed up as good guides to beginning course of space education. We are doing our best efforts by thinking hard to find the way for those educational materials to be accepted by local people not forced upon them from outsiders but raised from within themselves on spontaneous motivation.

What awaits children ahead living in this country and others is the world that is becoming more and more difficult to live. We ask you for giving us your power to help children vigorously live their difficult future by changing themselves to adapt to fit the new environments. We expect your joining us to KU-MA to take off in two more months. We can tell you of the outline of our activity before long.

I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.

matogawa@planetary.or.jp

(Translated by The Planetary Society of Japan)