第207回 WORKSHOP報告(11月2日) /参加者38名

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
《 今回のworkshop 》
○workshop参加人数:38名(うち新人の方:3名)
○【前半】:Will a sugar tax help reduce obesity?
○【後半】:Discrimination against foreigners in our daily life
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

≪FIRST HALF≫
Will a sugar tax help reduce obesity?

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with at least 2.8 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Once associated with high-income countries, obesity is now also prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. Governments, international partners, civil society, non-governmental organizations and the private sector all have vital roles to play in contributing to obesity prevention. One idea to reduce global obesity is to impose a sugar tax. Other ideas include extra tax on high calorie foods and fast food.

Discussion questions:
1. Do you like fizzy drinks? How many cans of fizzy drinks do you drink in a day?
2. Do you think that these ideas would work?
3. How can we reduce the number of obese people?
4. Should the government provide free gyms or swimming pools? What do you think should be done?
5. What is the impact of obesity on society?

Reference
Will a sugar tax help reduce obesity?
World economic forum
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/03/will-a-sugar-tax-help-reduce-obesity/

If there was a simple way to stop the world getting fatter, it would surely have been found and implemented by now.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with at least 2.8 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organisation.
It is no longer just a problem for rich nations. Most of the world’s population now lives in a country where more people are overweight than underweight.
Obesity is costing the world $2 trillion dollars annually according to a report from the Mckinsey Global Institute, which classifies obesity as one of the top three social burdens generated by human beings, almost on a par with smoking and armed conflict.
But while there may not be one way to solve the problem, a tax on sugar is increasingly being considered as part of the solution.
And Norway – as it does on many issues – is leading the way.
The Norwegian example
Norway has had a tax on added sugar since 1922. But it decided to hike this tax by an enormous 83% at the start of 2018, with products like sweets and chocolates now taxed at $4.69 per kilo.
Many governments have had considerable success in using tax rises as a way to deter people from smoking and drinking alcohol, but will a sugar tax work in reducing obesity?
Norway’s sugar consumption is already considerably lower than some countries, averaging 27kgs a year, compared to 34kgs a year for the average American. And only one in six children is overweight in Norway, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, compared to one in three children in the UK and US.
Parts of the food industry are worried that the tax will make Norway less competitive, and some residents have chosen to avoid the tax altogether by going shopping for treats in neighbouring Sweden.
But Norway has set itself a clear goal: It wants to reduce the sugar intake of each of its citizens by 12.5% by 2021.
While it is still too early to draw conclusions from the dramatic tax hike, the rest of the world will be watching closely to assess its impact on the nation’s eating habits.
And other countries are already choosing to follow suit, with both the UK and South Africa set to introduce their own tax on sugary drinks in the coming months.
And while there have been many active campaigns promoting the use of sugar taxes, there are also equally vocal opposition groups, often funded by the food and drinks industry.
The victimisation of sugar?
Campaigns such as People against Sugar Tax and the American Beverage Association believe that taxing sugary drinks or food items with a great deal of added sugar is unfairly casting sugar as the main cause of obesity.
Eating less sugar is one way to consume fewer calories. But so is eating less saturated fat or increasing the amount of exercise taken.
And there are many other actions that governments can take, including warning signs on food labels, stricter regulation of advertising and mass media campaigns to increase awareness of healthy food choices.
However, given the scale of the obesity epidemic, it is likely that a combination of all these measures will be required if significant progress is to be made.

Reference (Video)
Does Sugar Tax Really Work?

≪LATTER HALF≫
[Agenda]
Discrimination against foreigners in our daily life

The Rugby world cup is being held in Japan from 20 September to 2 November. Do you know 15 out of 31 players representing Japan are international player? And also many Japanese athletes who have a multi-ethnic background are active in Japan these days. Such situations trigger a criticism from some Japanese people that “it causes feeling of strangeness that non-native Japanese players represent Japan.” How do you feel about this criticism? Is it a discrimination?

Almost all members of E’s club have experiences of going, studying or working abroad. Through your experiences, please make discussion and share a diverse range of views about discrimination against foreigners in Japan. And I hope today’s discussion will be a good opportunity to rethink what is multicultural society.

[Questions]
1) Can you accept multi-ethnic athletes as Japanese? Please discuss it with your ideas of what is Japanese.
2) Generally speaking, Japanese have an inferiority complex to white people. Is it true of you? How can Japanese overcome this issue?
3) Have you ever been or seen a victim of racism? If you say Yes (and you wouldn’t mind), please share your story. How did you feel and how did you do then?
4) Do you agree with the opinion that “it causes feeling of strangeness that non-native Japanese players represent Japan?” If you tell opposite views to people who agree with it, what will you say?
5) Have you ever discriminated other people against their race unconsciously? (Such as the following: “Ha-fu (especially Japanese/white people)” person is beautiful. Image of “Gaijin” has blue eyes and blonde hair.) How can we prevent these discrimination without realizing?

[References]
ラグビー日本代表に外国人選手が多い理由。ラグビーの代表資格と国籍について

ラグビー日本代表に外国人選手が多い理由。ラグビーの代表資格と国籍について

Regulation 8. Eligibility to play for national representative teams
https://www.worldrugby.org/wr-resources/WorldRugbyDIR/Handbook/English/pubData/source/files/Regulation8.pdf#search=%27eligibility+to+play+for+national+teams+reguby%27

A Richly Diverse Team Flies the Flag for Japan: That’s Rugby
https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g00740/a-richly-diverse-team-flies-the-flag-for-japan-that’s-rugby.html

Rugby World Cup: How Kiwi Michael Leitch became bigger than Japan’s sumo stars
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/rwc-2019-japan/116350357/rugby-world-cup-how-kiwi-michael-leitch-became-bigger-than-japans-sumo-stars